Photo via CBS Sports

What Tarik Skubal said about his pending free agency after Dodgers' playoff elimination

Ace left‑hander Tarik Skubal watched the Dodgers fall in Game 4 of the NLCS from the dugout, ending the team’s postseason run. After the loss he declined to discuss his future, saying his mind was on the disappointing night.

Skubal enters the upcoming offseason as the premier free‑agent pitcher, having logged a 2.13 ERA in eight playoff starts but never reaching a World Series. He spent the season with Detroit before a deadline trade sent him to Los Angeles, where he finished with a 12‑7 record, 2.72 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 186 strikeouts over 158 2/3 innings.

The market for his services is uncertain because the collective bargaining agreement is set to expire and owners are pushing for a salary cap.

The 29‑year‑old, a back‑to‑back American League Cy Young winner in 2024 and 2025, underwent NanoScope elbow surgery earlier this year, missing only the stretch from April 29 to June 13. Over the combined season he posted a 4.6 WAR, down from the previous two years, and his next contract could reach the mid‑nine‑figure range if the CBA negotiations allow.

Up nextMLB· 25m ago

Pat Murphy Praises His 'Bunch Of Gamers' After Beating Dodgers 'Hall Of Famers'