EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLAS VEGAS -- The New York Mets are scheduled to meet with left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal, the prize of this offseason's free agent class, next week in California, a source told ESPN on Tuesday.Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, speaking at the general manager meetings, declined to comment on the team's pursuit of Skubal on Tuesday. But the Mets, between their acute need for a front-line starting pitcher and owner Steve Cohen's deep pockets, are an obvious possible landing spot for the two-time Cy Young Award winner after missing the postseason the past two years.The other seemingly logical destination is a return to Los Angeles, where Skubal finished the season after the Dodgers acquired him from the Detroit Tigers for three prospects at the trade deadline. Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said his team also expects to meet with Skubal at some point in the coming days."I know that he enjoyed his time here," Gomes said. "We loved having him, so I think that's certainly helpful as far as these conversations go. And outside of that, he's earned the right to be in this position and figure out what's best for him and his family. So we'll have those conversations as things go."Skubal, who turns 30 on Nov. 20, went 12-7 with a 2.72 ERA in 158 innings in 2026. He missed six weeks early in the season after undergoing a minimally invasive arthroscopic procedure to remove a loose body in his left elbow. It was Skubal's third arm operation since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2017 while in college.He also underwent flexor tendon surgery in 2022. He established himself as one of the top pitchers in the world upon his return, winning back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 2024 and 2025 for Detroit.Skubal is widely expected to establish the record for annual average value and total value for a full-time pitcher with his contract. Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander hold the current AAV record of $43.3 million while Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 12-year, $325 million deal is the bar for largest guarantee.Any club in pursuit of Skubal, even the free-spending Mets and Dodgers, must account for the possibility of a salary cap as early as 2028 in the new collective bargaining agreement. The Dodgers have approximately $262 million on their CBT payroll for 2028, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts. The Mets have about $197 million on their books.Skubal would represent a luxury addition for the Dodgers. They would still boast perhaps the best rotation even without him with Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki and Emmet Sheehan among their options.The Mets, meanwhile, are prioritizing bolstering their rotation with multiple starters. Nolan McLean, who logged a 3.16 ERA in 31 starts as a rookie, has ace potential. Christian Scott impressed with a 3.70 ERA in 23 starts. Beyond that, however, it's murky.Left-hander Zac Thornton exceeded expectations when he was called up, recording a 3.42 ERA in 15 starts. Sean Manaea, who is on the CBT payroll for $25 million next season, had an uneven season, compiling a 4.78 ERA in 150 innings. Kodai Senga had a 9.66 ERA as a starter before pitching to 4.85 ERA in 23 relief appearances. Other options include Tylor Megill, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, and prospects Jonah Tong and Jack Weisenburger."Having a complete rotation is really important, and that includes having pitchers who can successfully get you through a postseason, get you through a playoff series," Stearns said. We've seen over and over again in the playoffs that that can be constructed in a variety of different ways, and so we're open to doing it in any way possible."Adding Skubal would require something Stearns has never done in his career leading a front office between Milwaukee and New York: Signing a pitcher to a long-term contract. Stearns pursued Yamamoto during his first offseason with the Mets before Yamamoto chose the Dodgers, but Yamamoto was 25 at the time and Stearns has been adverse to giving pitchers in their early 30s long deals. Skubal, with a push from Cohen, could prove to be the exception."Every situation is unique," Stearns said. "It's been also well-publicized that even since I've been here, we've engaged in extremely long-term negotiations for pitchers, and we will do so again. But situation matters, the specific circumstance matters, and we do have to look at every individual pitcher on a case-by-case basis."
