The Los Angeles Dodgers’ recent acquisition of left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal could position the team favorably in negotiations to re-sign the two-time Cy Young Award winner, according to his agent, Scott Boras. Skubal, 29, is entering the final year of his contract and will become a free agent after the current Major League Baseball season.

Skubal was traded to the Dodgers earlier this week from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for three midlevel prospects. He made his Dodgers debut on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. Boras highlighted the mutual benefit of Skubal and the team becoming familiar with one another ahead of free agency.

“There’s nothing like getting to know how a franchise works and your role in it,” Boras stated. He described Skubal as one of the most competitive players in his career, emphasizing the pitcher’s strong work ethic, discipline, and team-oriented mindset. Boras noted that Skubal’s routine between starts and in the offseason reflects a position-player mentality, signaling a high level of professionalism.

The transition has been emotional for Skubal, who had spent his entire career with Detroit before the trade. Boras remarked that the opportunity to join the Dodgers presents Skubal a clear path to pursue his ultimate goal: winning a World Series. Boras expressed confidence that the Dodgers’ deep pitching staff will help manage Skubal’s workload and reduce the risk of overuse, a common concern when acquiring high-profile players on short-term deals.

At the top of the Dodgers’ rotation, Skubal will join reigning World Series Most Valuable Player Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Other notable pitchers such as Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani are expected to return from injuries and contribute later in the season, further bolstering the team’s depth.

Boras also praised the Dodgers’ medical staff, particularly team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed a minimally invasive elbow procedure on Skubal in early May. The surgery, which Boras dubbed the “Skubal Scope,” involved removing a loose body from Skubal’s elbow and allowed the pitcher to resume throwing within about a week. This quick recovery helped maintain Skubal’s fastball velocity and overall effectiveness, as evidenced by his recent performance—he posted a 2-0 record with a 1.71 ERA over his last three starts.

This is not the first instance in which Boras has facilitated a significant midseason move to the Dodgers in a player’s walk year. Previous examples include Max Scherzer, who went 7-0 in 11 starts after joining the Dodgers in 2021 before signing a lucrative deal with the New York Mets, and Manny Ramirez, whose brief but impressive 2008 tenure led to a multi-year contract with Los Angeles.

Boras believes that by pitching in high-leverage situations during the regular season and potentially in the postseason, Skubal will demonstrate his value not only to the Dodgers but also to other interested teams in free agency. “You get to see that unfold in real time,” Boras said, underscoring the benefit of the current arrangement for all parties involved.