The Detroit Tigers have traded ace pitcher Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking a significant shift as the team prepares for the final two months of the season without their top performer. The deal, completed late Saturday night, sent Skubal to the Dodgers in exchange for three minor league prospects: right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith and outfielder Zyhir Hope.

Skubal, the two-time American League Cy Young Award winner in 2024 and 2025, has been a cornerstone of the Tigers’ pitching staff since being selected in the ninth round of the 2018 draft. Over the past three seasons, he posted a 2.40 ERA and had a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 96 2/3 innings in 2026, holding a 7-5 record to date. His leadership and impact in the clubhouse were also highly regarded.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch acknowledged the challenge the team faces in moving forward without Skubal. “Baseball has a funny way of challenging you to deal with change,” he said before Sunday’s series finale against the Oakland Athletics. “We have a ton of respect for what he brought every day, his preparation, his attitude, his desire to win. That impact doesn’t leave with him as he gets on a plane to go to a different team.”

Skubal is scheduled to become a free agent after the season, which partly motivated Detroit’s decision to trade him while they could still receive prospects in return. The Tigers are now 2 ½ games behind for the final wild-card spot. Despite the uncertainty, they have shown resilience, winning the first two games against Oakland, where news of the trade came as a surprise to some players.

First baseman Spencer Torkelson noted the team’s ability to maintain focus amid the distraction. “Leading up to the trade, I thought we blocked out the noise amazing. Even in the sixth inning when everyone’s screaming at us from the stands that we traded our best pitcher, I think we kept our focus and kept the main thing the main thing,” he said. “As a team we still believe in ourselves and we know that we’re definitely not out of it.”

Tigers pitchers have also felt the impact. Casey Mize, who was scratched from a scheduled start amid trade speculation, described the situation as “a weird, weird place.” He emphasized the team’s recent strong play despite the disruption.

Skubal’s departure also raises questions about Detroit’s postseason prospects. The Tigers lost in five games in the division series the last two years and Skubal started both of those pivotal games. While he struggled in 2024 against Cleveland, he had a strong performance last season against Seattle, though the bullpen failed to hold the lead.

After the trade was announced, Skubal expressed regret that he would not be part of the team’s pursuit of a long-awaited World Series title. “Over the last couple of years, we don’t get anywhere near to what we’ve done without Tarik Skubal,” teammate Mize said. “I hope our fan base is appreciative of that, even if it maybe didn’t end the way that everyone wanted it to.”

The Tigers will likely face Skubal again when the Dodgers visit Detroit for a three-game series from August 28 to 30. Meanwhile, the team must adjust quickly to life without their former ace as they continue their playoff chase.