Dodgers Predicted to Offload Dalton Rushing, River Ryan in Trade to Acquire Tarik Skubal

The Tarik Skubal trade saga has taken a few different turns over the holiday weekend. It started on Sunday when USA Today’s Bob Nightengale dished out a rumor that the Detroit Tigers could finally be shopping Tarik Skubal amid the team’s horrible losing stretch that has placed the Tigers in last place of the AL Central with a 21-33 record.

Hence, why the Skubal rumors are so high, but another thing Nightengale speculated about was which MLB teams actually have the assets and financial capability to land Skubal, and the Dodgers (along with the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Padres) were named one of those teams (obviously). With all the speculation and rumors surrounding Skubal’s trade status, MLB mock trade ideas are already being put together, and a recent one by FanSided.com’s Christopher Kline features the Dodgers landing Skubal, but it comes for three players (Dalton Rushing, River Ryan, and Zyhir Hope), which is a pretty steep package.

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Dodgers-Tigers Trade Pitch for Tarik Skubal; Does it Make Sense?

Here is what Kline wrote about this deal getting done, and how the Tigers should actually say yes to this proposed trade:

“Clean and simple. The Dodgers cough up two premium prospects in Zhyir Hope and River Ryan, both of whom could be staples of Detroit’s MLB roster as soon as this season. Dalton Rushing, meanwhile, was L.A.’s top prospect until he graduated to the Majors. He’s enjoying a titanic season at the plate, but he’s blocked from regular playing time by Will Smith (and, to a lesser extent, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman).”

Dalton Rushing has seen a good amount of playing time this season and has actually been a productive player, but his on-field/off-field antics don’t fit the Dodgers M.O. Not to say he’s a trade candidate for that reason, but Los Angeles would be okay without him.

As for whether this trade idea makes sense, I think it actually does, and it could be one that benefits both parties. River Ryan is a top Dodgers prospect and should be making his return to MLB soon (he already posted strong numbers in a small sample size in 2024), and Zyhir Hope is the Dodgers’ second-ranked prospect. It’s a big haul for a rental player, but it could go a long way in helping the Dodgers seal up the National League once again.

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Will Tarik Skubal be Traded?

This is the million-dollar question around Major League Baseball, but the speculation feels very warranted, or at least way more warranted than in previous months.

Tarik Skubal is the best pitcher in MLB, and this trade saga is so unique because there’s never been a player of this caliber (back-to-back AL Cy Young) on the trade block.

It makes even more sense when you start to think about the scenario and how the chips are lining up. The Tigers aren’t contenders (could miss the playoffs, and be out of the race by July). Detroit just signed Framber Valdez to a lucrative extension, and Skubal’s free agency is this offseason.

If the Dodgers were to land Skubal, it would certainly break baseball once again, as any contending team that lands him should immediately be considered World Series favorites.

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