Tarik Skubal

The New York Mets are scheduled to meet with free-agent left-hander Tarik Skubal next week, a source told Jorge Castillo of ESPN. The Mets were expected to be in the running from the jump this offseason, with the New York Post's Jon Heyman referring to them as the early favorites over the Los Angeles Dodgers recently. The Mets and Dodgers have the deepest pockets, which makes them the favorites for by far and away the best player on the open market this offseason, and the Mets also have the most pressure on them from above after finishing in last place in the National League East last year and missing the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Skubal is said to have really enjoyed his time in the second half of the 2026 season with the Dodgers after they acquired him at the trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers in early August, but ultimately, the biggest offer, money-wise, is expected to win out. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has an incentive to pick a team before the lockout arrives on Dec. 1, so his market could move quickly this month. Regardless of where Skubal signs, he should be one of the first starting pitchers off the board in 2027 fantasy drafts after another strong season with the Tigers and Dodgers, going 12-7 with a 2.72 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 186 strikeouts in 158 2/3 innings across 26 starts despite having left-elbow surgery midseason.