MLB rumors: Why the Dodgers could be Tarik Skubal or bust; Red Sox looking for pitching depth

The biggest thing hanging over baseball this offseason is obviously the expiration of the CBA and what everyone assumes will be a lockout. Until then, we'll find out the major award winners this coming week, starting with Rookies of the Year on Monday. And, of course, there's the player movement yet to come. 

For the latter, let's round up Sunday's rumors right here. 

Dodgers to go big on SP?

As we saw plenty in 2026, the Dodgers have a very talented rotation with a few injury-prone parts (Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani as a pitcher, etc.). As such, this bit of speculative reporting from The Athletic makes a ton of sense: 

The Dodgers will need someone who can cover innings in 2027. It's just a matter of how much they can lean on Justin Wrobleski, trust how Emmet Sheehan finished the season (I'd say probably a good amount), how healthy Gavin Stone is (unknown), how ready Jackson Ferris is (he seems close) and if they have enough depth options behind them.

All that to say, the Dodgers will be in on Skubal. If he goes elsewhere, I don't think it's as simple as the Dodgers going after the next highest-ranked starter on the market, such as a Freddy Peralta or a Michael King. I could see them taking a flier on some depth options to soak up innings in anticipation of a quick ramp-up post-lockout, sort of like they did when they signed Tyler Anderson in the run-up to the 2022 season.

The Dodgers will need someone who can cover innings in 2027. It's just a matter of how much they can lean on Justin Wrobleski, trust how Emmet Sheehan finished the season (I'd say probably a good amount), how healthy Gavin Stone is (unknown), how ready Jackson Ferris is (he seems close) and if they have enough depth options behind them.

All that to say, the Dodgers will be in on Skubal. If he goes elsewhere, I don't think it's as simple as the Dodgers going after the next highest-ranked starter on the market, such as a Freddy Peralta or a Michael King. I could see them taking a flier on some depth options to soak up innings in anticipation of a quick ramp-up post-lockout, sort of like they did when they signed Tyler Anderson in the run-up to the 2022 season.

Yes, the Dodgers are in on the Tarik Skubal bidding. We all know that. But if they lose out on retaining the two-time Cy Young winner, they may not just continue moving down the list for available starters. Then again, it's hard to ever know exactly what Andrew Friedman is going to spend money on.

As things stand, the Dodgers' rotation has Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow, Roki Sasaki and Sheehan, at least until Ohtani is ready to rejoin the fray.

Red Sox to look for pitching depth

Coming off two straight Wild Card Series losses and sub-90-win seasons, the Red Sox would surely like to take things up a notch for the 2027 season. One way might be to build out the depth of the pitching staff. They'll be "in the market for a back-end starter" and a right-handed reliever "with swing-and-miss capability," according to MassLive. 

For the rotation: Sonny Gray hits free agency, but Garrett Crochet will return from a nearly full-season injury. Payton Tolle and Ranger Suárez fill the 2-3 spots, with Jake Bennett solid as the No. 4. That leaves Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck as options for the fifth spot in addition to depth. It doesn't seem dire, but we've seen plenty of times what kind of havoc injuries can wreak.

In the bullpen, lefty Aroldis Chapman returns at closer with Garrett Whitlock and Erik Miller as setup men. Houck missing out on a rotation spot could mean he helps late as well. 

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