The Los Angeles Dodgers are said to be attempting to trade for Tarik Skubal, the Detroit Tigers ace. A move like this would utterly deplete their farm system, requiring their top two prospects, Josue De Paula and Dalton Rushing, as well as other prospects. They would be adding the finest pitcher in baseball right now, but these speculations are still farfetched.
If these ideas fail and the Dodgers are unable to sign Skubal, they may always turn to another Tigers pitcher, Jack Flaherty, who is significantly cheaper.
Flaherty, while not on the same level as Skubal, is on an expiring contract and would be much more affordable to trade for. The Dodgers could likely trade him for a couple middle-of-the-road prospects.
A Dodgers-Tigers trade for a starting pitcher not named Tarik Skubal
Flaherty, 28, now has a 2.95 ERA after a fantastic six-inning outing against the first-place Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday. Flaherty would be an excellent pitcher for many teams this season. He just happens to be on the same team as the most dominant pitcher in the league.
The Dodgers might leverage their money and massive payroll to negotiate a favorable contract with the Tigers.
The first thing to notice about this trade is that the Dodgers are sending cash. A considerable sum of money to assist the Tigers in paying off the Javy Baez deal.
Baez is expected to earn almost $25 million each of the next three seasons. For the sake of this scenario, assume the Dodgers are sending over $7 million per year to help pay off the deal. This significantly reduces the prospect burden required to acquire Flaherty, while having no influence on the Dodgers’ monetary account.
Martin, Los Angeles’ ninth-ranked prospect, with a 3.68 ERA after two seasons and 88 innings of professional baseball. He’s struggled since being promoted to High-A, but the Dodgers prospect is only 20 years old. He possesses some strong throws and good command.
Burns, 22, has been exceptional this season. He has a sub-2.00 ERA in five High-A outings. He boasts a great fastball and two quality breaking balls, but his command is rather limited. It’s still a little high this year, but if he can dial it in, he’s a legitimate big league talent.
Obviously, the Dodgers are looking to sign Skubal or Garrett Crochet from the White Sox. But if they don’t succeed, they can always fall back on one of the market’s most popular rentals. Flaherty would be an ideal addition to help them make a pennant run this season.
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