With less than 36 hours remaining before Monday’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline, the market shifted dramatically after the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Tarik Skubal late Saturday night, according to ESPN.
ESPN insider Buster Olney said the Skubal deal held up a massive starting-pitcher market, and that in the final stretch contenders will continue to add arms. Olney named the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers as teams likely to land starters, and cited relievers and starters such as Clay Holmes, Freddy Peralta and Robbie Ray as pieces that could come off the board.
ESPN colleague Jeff Passan said prices should begin to fall simply because deals must get done. Passan noted that while teams have been posturing and gathering information all week, the finite inventory of available talent forces action as the deadline approaches.
Olney emphasized the potential impact of additions around the league. He pointed to the Brewers — who he referenced as having “The Miz” — and suggested the starter they acquire to complement that club could be pivotal in October. Olney added the Dodgers paid for Skubal in part because the prospect of facing Tarik Skubal and Jacob Misiorowski in consecutive games represented a significant threat.
Passan outlined how the standings shape the stakes, saying National League division leaders have sizable advantages while the American League features tighter margins between division leaders and wild-card hopefuls. In that environment, deadline aggressiveness can become a separator, according to ESPN.
On specific plans, Olney told ESPN the Yankees are expected to add a reliever and a right-handed hitter, the Phillies will pursue a starting pitcher and a reliever, and the Braves — after acquiring Lane Thomas — will concentrate on landing a starter. He added that, overall, contenders’ needs largely match what the market can supply.
