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Ace pitcher Tarik Skubal is likely to sign a free-agent contract before the end of the month, perhaps for a record-setting amount, but which team and in what economic system remain pressing questions.
As this week’s MLB GM meetings in Las Vegas reach their conclusion, Skubal’s agent, Scott Boras, said a deal for the starting pitcher is probable in three weeks. The current deal between MLB and the MLB Players Association expires Dec. 1, and a management lockout is expected then, which would freeze all roster transactions.
Skubal is the top free agent in what is a highly compressed MLB player market because of that labor uncertainty, and a contract for him could exceed the 12-year, $325 million deal that Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Dodgers three years ago and remains the free-agent record for a pitcher.
“If we look over a 30- or a 40-year period, we might have less than 10 of these aces [available] that are capable of winning multiple Cy Youngs,” Boras said.
Skubal already has two Cy Young Awards, and his free agency is tied to the hope of being in the mix for several more. But it’s not clear how Skubal’s deal, or that of any other free agent, will interact with MLB’s future economics as owners fervently seek a hard salary cap and floor, as well as several other large-scale industry changes.
Boras, however, said players remain united in their firm opposition to a cap-based system.
“Players are emboldened by the success of this game,” Boras said. “They are standing on truth, absolute truth, of the fact that we have record franchise revenues in every quadrant of the market. We have record viewership. We have sponsorship. We have record attendance. We don’t have to guess anymore like [in 2021].”
Run of Puns
Boras, meanwhile, continued his offseason tradition of making a series of hacky puns regarding his free-agent clients. Among the quips he made regarding Skubal:
- “It’s very clear that there is a dominant and strong Sku-bull market.”
- “Teams have filled their tanks and they’re clearly ready for the Skubal dive.”
- “Teams are not devoid of pursuing their championship fortunes and they understand there’s only one Tarik card.”
The Dodgers acquired Skubal at the August trade deadline and are thought to be squarely in the mix to retain the left-hander on a long-term basis. With team owners pursuing a salary cap, though, it is uncertain whether a big-dollar deal for Skubal will create sizable economic ramifications across the rest of the Los Angeles roster.
Other teams particularly pursuing Skubal include the Mets, the Padres, and the Blue Jays, among others. Boras in particular lauded the aggressiveness of San Diego in recent seasons, something expected to continue with new club owners José E.Feliciano and Kwanza Jones.
“Your goal is you want success, and you want to raise your franchise values. And you do that with audience, attendance, media ratings, and when you’re in playoff modality,” Boras said.
Notably, Skubal is also on the MLBPA’s executive subcommittee and has a key leadership role in the ongoing labor talks.
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