MLB Baseball 24 Hours

Last updated: August 4, 2026, 5:31 PM ET

Dodgers Bolster Rotation, Become World Series Favorites

The Los Angeles Dodgers have significantly strengthened their pitching staff by acquiring ace Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. This move has immediately positioned the Dodgers as overwhelming favorites to win the World Series, surpassing the New York Yankees in betting odds. Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, expressed his readiness for the challenge, stating he doesn't "really sympathize with people that blame the Dodgers for anything they've done," and noting that "Every team could trade for me." Tigers president Scott Harris defended the timing of the Skubal trade, dismissing the notion that Detroit should have waited until the deadline, asserting that "That's not how markets for the top players work."