LOS ANGELES, CA — Andrew Friedman had plenty of nice things to say about Tarik Skubal at last week’s press conference. He praised the left-hander’s adjustment to Los Angeles, his work on the mound and his presence in the clubhouse. What he never explicitly said was that bringing Skubal back is a priority for the Dodgers.
That omission hardly guarantees Skubal will be pitching somewhere else next season. But if you were listening for a declaration that the Dodgers intend to pursue him aggressively, Friedman gave you something considerably more measured.
Asked about Skubal’s free agency and how a potential lockout could complicate the situation, Friedman began by recognizing the difficulty of joining a new team during the season.
“It’s not easy for a guy to get traded in the middle of a season,” Friedman said, pointing to the adjustments required by a new city, clubhouse and routine.
He then praised how Skubal handled that transition.
“I can’t say enough good things about the impact that he made in such a short period of time,” Friedman said.
That is a strong endorsement of the player and the person. It also describes what Skubal already contributed. The more revealing portion came when Friedman moved from reviewing the trade acquisition to discussing what happens next.
“And for us, it’s, you know, continue to talk to Tarik but he and his family get to make a choice over where they want to spend the next x number of years,” he said. “And obviously, we wish him nothing but the best.”
There is an open door in that answer. Friedman said the Dodgers would continue talking to Skubal, which matters. But there was no accompanying statement that they want him back, hope to keep him in Los Angeles or see him as a central part of their future rotation.
Instead, the emphasis shifted to Skubal’s opportunity to choose his next home. The closing good wishes could fit comfortably into either an ongoing negotiation or a farewell.
For Dodgers fans hoping ownership will simply write whatever check is necessary, that language offers little reassurance.
The economic question also went largely unanswered. Friedman was asked directly about the possibility that baseball’s financial structure could change following a lockout. He offered no explanation of how that uncertainty might influence the Dodgers’ pursuit. That leaves us without a clear answer about either their appetite for a major commitment or the conditions under which they would make one.
Of course, press conference wording has limits. Friedman has little incentive to advertise his negotiating position, and a restrained public answer can coexist with serious private interest. It would be a stretch to treat this exchange as proof the Dodgers have decided to move on.
Still, there is a reasonable distinction between maintaining contact and making a player a top offseason priority. Friedman confirmed the former. He stopped short of declaring the latter.
My read is that the Dodgers are keeping their options open on Skubal, with the price and length of the commitment potentially determining how far they go. That is an interpretation, not an announced position. But based on what Friedman actually said, assuming an all-out effort to retain him feels premature.
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A lifelong baseball fan, Webb has been going to Dodger games since he moved to Los Angeles in 1987. His favorite memory was attending the insane Game 3 of the World Series in 2025 and hugging random Dodgers fans after Freddie’s walkoff homer. He has been writing for Dodgersbeat since 2020.
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