The Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitching staff imposed its will on its opponents throughout the 2025 MLB Postseason, and the same group will be back in 2026 to break the spirit of whoever is standing in the batter’s box.
Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow make up a quartet of pitchers that can simply decimate opposing lineups. But the Dodgers also have an ace up their sleeve: 24-year-old Roki Sasaki.
Sasaki’s first MLB season wasn’t the smoothest ride, but after pitching the lights out as a closer in the playoffs, it’s quite clear that his future is bright. Sasaki’s stuff can induce plenty of whiffs, and he has the velocity to overpower batters.
He’ll have a shot to earn a spot in the rotation in his second MLB season, but let’s discuss another path regarding what the future may hold for Sasaki.
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Roki Sasaki Traded to Detroit Tigers: MLB Trade Idea
The Detroit Tigers are in an interesting situation when it comes to their starting staff. Framber Valdez has arrived to add a second ace alongside Tarik Skubal, but the long-term outlook for this group is still very much up in the air.
As it stands, Skubal will almost certainly suit up for the Tigers in 2026, but beyond next season, there’s little clarity. Skubal and the Tigers are reportedly way off on the price tag for an extension, setting the stage for a wild free agency stint next offseason.
Could the Tigers look to avoid losing Skubal for nothing by flipping him? Christopher Kline of FanSided has outlined a trade idea that would see Detroit sending him to the Dodgers in exchange for Sasaki.
“Tarik Skubal’s expiring contract is a complicating factor, but he’s good enough for L.A. to consider offering up Sasaki even for one season. If it reaches that point, the Detroit Tigers would be irresponsible not to listen,” wrote Kline.
Is a Roki Sasaki For Tarik Skubal Trade Realistic?
Simply put, I don’t see a world in which the Dodgers entertain this trade.
Yes, the Dodgers are one of the few teams with the resources to retain Skubal following a trade. However, an extension is far from guaranteed, and giving up Sasaki for a one-year Skubal rental is a distinct possibility.
The risk of that trade-off becoming a reality may be enough for Los Angeles to back off a Sasaki-centered package.
Beyond that, the Dodgers simply don’t need Skubal. Their rotation is already the best in baseball by a wide margin, and they’ll be able to mow down batters without him.
Sure, the Dodgers have made moves in the past to acquire players they don’t necessarily need, but this is a different situation. They’re not throwing money at Skubal to bring him in; they’re giving up a player who has the potential to be a front-line starter for years to come.
In certain situations, Los Angeles will deem that long-term team-building is more important than assembling a world-beating group in 2026. I believe this is one of those situations, and the front office would opt to see how Sasaki develops rather than flipping him for what could be a rental.
Roki Sasaki Stats
Sasaki’s transition to the MLB was bumpy, but in the playoffs, he showed why the Dodgers were aggressive in pursuing him.
2025 Stats:
0.3 WAR
10 appearances
8 starts
1-1 record
36.1 IP
4.46 ERA
1.431 WHIP
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