Oct 11, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning in game one of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Tarik Skubal is understandably being proactive in free agency in hopes of getting a monster contract before Major League Baseball shutters its doors on Dec. 1, and the Mets are very much a part of the sweepstakes.
The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner, who rose to stardom with the Detroit Tigers before getting traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers over the summer, will meet with Mets officials in California next week, as first reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The Mets are considered one of the heavy favorites to come away with the superstar southpaw, who went 12-7 with a 2.72 ERA in 2026 and has a 2.47 ERA over the last four seasons. That track record is going to make the 29-year-old a very rich man in the form of a contract that will range between $300 million and $400 million.
It’s a steep price for Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns to pay, especially because he has never spent more than $75 million for a free-agent starting pitcher. But he made it clear, following the disastrous 2026 campaign, that top-end starting pitching is enough to lead a rotation that has its share of young, promising arms like Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Zac Thornton, but also has considerable question marks like veteran lefty Sean Manaea.
Even days after the regular season ended, there was always an unsaid implication that Skubal was going to be the top target.
Of course, there will be heavy competition from the Dodgers, who gave up three prospects, including a pair of MLB top-100 youngsters: outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handed pitcher Brady Smith.
They are the only team that can keep up with Mets owner Steve Cohen’s deep pockets. The Dodgers were the only team in baseball with a higher payroll than New York last season and have come out on top in some prominent bidding wars for starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, outfielder Kyle Tucker, and closer Edwin Diaz.
For more on Tarik Skubal and the Mets, visit AMNY.com
