As the trade deadline nears, we have the answer to the question many of the baseball fans have head for the last few weeks. Where will Tarik Skubal land? Every MLB fan has been waiting to see if just possibly their team would be lucky receipts right before the trade deadline.

Tigers Decline

While the Tigers started off the season hot, which gave hope to many fans across the country, by May the Tigers had fallen from a winning record and not seen one since. With Skubal entering free agency after this season and most likely not signing to remain with the Tigers for future years, many of us knew that Skubal was up for grabs, they question is where would he land.

The Trade

Shortly before midnight last night the new broke of Tarik Skubal to the LA Dodgers. Skubla was traded for 3 guys that most of us have never heard of, effectively making Skubal “a rental” for the rest of the season, to seal the deal on what could be a 3 peat, World Series Championship for the Dodgers. This trade adds to the Dodgers powerhouse pitching, with the current lineup making them a super team that the rest of the league will somehow have to figure out how to beat.

Impact on the future of the MLB

Rentals of player in the MLB is not on heard of when a team is trying to make that final push for the playoff however the Dodgers acquisition of Skubal adds to the uncertainty of the upcoming expiration of the players bargaining agreement. The massive amount of deferred contracts in the Dodgers organization and several others around the league will impact the next players contract negotiations and possible majority of the conversation. If teams are willing to agree to spend money later for championships today, why would non competitive teams and their owners be willing to not force a major change to the collective bargaining agreement to level the playing field again? How will current players that are seeing larger contracts feel about a possible change, will they push back?

Future lockout

I have a feeling that the league is headed for a lockout that could impact the 2027 MLB season. Players are making more money than ever before, with teams being able to defer salaries to an agreed upon time in the future, making it very easy for teams to pay great players, salaries that have never been seen in professional sports. Will we get the same contract with a few minor tweaks? Will be get restrictions on deferred salaries? Will we see a salary cap instituted?

It is clear that in order for professional baseball to stay competitive and remain the game that so many of us love, that something needs to change…