Dodgers acquire superstar pitcher Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers

[p]In exchange, the Tigers are receiving outfielder Zyhir Hope (MLB No. 25 prospect), Triple-A pitcher River Ryan, and Single-A pitcher Brady Smith. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/skubal-tarik/zuS2jB1J/"]Skubal[/a], 29, is the reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner and is tossing a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts this season, with opponents batting .210 against him through 96.2 innings.[/p][p]He made his last start with the Tigers on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles, giving up three runs on four hits with six strikeouts and a walk in 6.2 innings of work.[/p][embed guid="5fbfc752-77a3-49c7-9861-6870c30a0b1f" url="https://x.com/MLB/status/2083758773328306458?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]After his first two full seasons (2021-2022) as a starting pitcher, Skubal developed into a pitching phenom. He has yet to toss anything close to a 3.00 ERA in each of the past four seasons, including this year. In 2024, Skubal led all of baseball with 18 wins and 228 strikeouts. [/p][p]Skubal would then set a career-best 2.21 ERA and lead all starting pitchers in WHIP (0.891), walks per nine innings (1.5), and strikeout-to-walks ratio (7.30) after putting up 241 strikeouts while giving up just 33 walks and 141 hits through 195.1 innings.[/p][p]Skubal recently struck out a season-high 12 batters in a 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals as Detroit currently sit second-from-last in the American League Central division with a 52-58 record.[/p][embed guid="51d81424-731f-46f8-ae2d-aaa87aaa376b" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukeZu1_o0pw" social-type="youtube" /][h2]Tigers return[/h2][p]Hope, 21, is slashing .293/.369/.530 in Double-A this season with 23 home runs, 87 RBI, and 18 stolen bases - all career-highs during his minor league career. [/p][p]Ryan, 27, has only pitched in four major league games (all with the Dodgers in 2024). He gave up just three runs in 20.1 innings with 18 strikeouts and nine walks. He missed all of 2025 due to Tommy John surgery. And now he's tossing a 4.46 ERA in eight Triple-A games this year.[/p][p]Smith, 21, currently has a 4.36 ERA in Single-A this season, including a 7.71 ERA in High-A ball.[/p]