Tarik Skubal Sets Mets Meeting as Free Agency Heats Up Before Dec. 1
The two-time Cy Young winner will meet the Mets next week in California, with the Dodgers and Padres among six teams on his list.
The biggest free agent of the MLB offseason is about to start taking meetings. Tarik Skubal, the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner, is scheduled to sit down with the New York Mets next week in California, and the Dodgers expect their turn soon after.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman broke the news Tuesday, and ESPN and MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo confirmed it. The Associated Press later reported that Skubal will meet with six teams in all, including the Mets, Dodgers and Padres.
https://t.co/6ulD7exYmH Exclusive: Mets have meeting scheduled with superstar free agent Tarik Skubal
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 10, 2026
Why the Mets are the team to watch
New York needs an ace, and owner Steve Cohen can afford one. The Mets have missed the postseason two years in a row, and their 2026 rotation plan fell apart when Freddy Peralta, acquired to anchor it, struggled badly in Queens, SB Nation’s Amazin’ Avenue noted.
What’s left is young and uneven. Nolan McLean posted a 3.16 ERA in 31 starts as a rookie, but Sean Manaea finished at 4.78 and Kodai Senga had a 9.66 ERA as a starter before moving to the bullpen, according to ESPN.
Team president David Stearns wouldn’t talk about Skubal specifically at the general managers’ meetings in Las Vegas. He did say the Mets want a full rotation built for October and are “open to doing it in any way possible.” Stearns has historically avoided long deals for pitchers entering their 30s, ESPN noted, but Cohen’s push could make this the exception.
The Dodgers aren’t going away
Los Angeles had Skubal for the final three months of the season after acquiring him from Detroit for three prospects at the trade deadline. General manager Brandon Gomes made it clear the Dodgers want him back.
“I know that he enjoyed his time here,” Gomes said. He added that Skubal has earned the right to pick what’s best for him and his family, and that the Dodgers expect to meet with him in the coming days.
There’s a payroll wrinkle for both front-runners. With a possible salary cap as early as 2028 under the next labor deal, ESPN reported that the Dodgers already have about $262 million committed to their 2028 luxury-tax payroll. The Mets are at about $197 million.
Tarik Skubal by the numbers
| Stat | Skubal |
|---|---|
| 2026 record, ERA | 12-7, 2.72 |
| 2026 innings, strikeouts | 158 2/3, 186 |
| ERA since 2024 | 2.42 |
| Career ERA | 3.02 in 925 1/3 innings |
| Cy Young Awards | 2 (AL, 2024 and 2025) |
| Age | Turns 30 on Nov. 20 |
The one caution flag is the elbow. Skubal missed about six weeks early in 2026 after an arthroscopic procedure to remove a loose body from his left elbow. It was his third arm operation since Tommy John surgery in college, including flexor tendon surgery in 2022, per ESPN. That injury, plus the midseason trade, helped end his run of Cy Young wins at two.
What a Skubal deal could look like
Nobody has put a public number on it yet, but the targets are clear. Skubal is widely expected to break the average annual value record for a pitcher, currently $43.3 million, shared by Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers is the benchmark for total guarantee.
Skubal is represented by Scott Boras, whose clients often take their time. This time the calendar is tighter. MLB’s labor deal expires Dec. 1, and the reported timeline has Skubal signing before then.
For more coverage, see our MLB news page.
The general managers’ meetings wrap up Thursday in Las Vegas, where the Rangers are also exploring a Corey Seager trade. Skubal’s first sit-down with the Mets is set for next week in California, with the Dodgers expected to follow.
Sources: ESPN, New York Post, SB Nation, MLB Trade Rumors, AP, Field Level Media, Yahoo Sports
