Tarik Skubal sweepstakes narrows as Mets and Blue Jays expected to meet next week, MLB.com reports

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

A major theme from the just-completed General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas has been the expectation that free-agent left-hander Tarik Skubal will end up with the New York Mets, according to MLB.com’s coverage on Thursday. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports that at least one National League executive framed the situation as a near two-team conversation, saying they did not know who else was “really even in the conversation” regarding the bid for the two-time Cy Young Award winner.

While MLB.com notes that Skubal has drawn broad interest across the majors, the Mets have been described as among the best positioned—primarily because of the club’s willingness to pursue a long-term contract within the reported range of approximately seven to ten years. The Mets’ position is further underscored by MLB.com’s recap of the team’s recent offseason track record, including the signing of Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million deal before 2025 and the pursuit of Kyle Tucker last offseason.

MLB.com also reports that New York is scheduled to meet with Skubal’s representatives sometime next week. MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo is cited with a source confirmation of the Mets’ planned meeting, following earlier reporting that a meeting between the Mets and Skubal was expected to take place.

Toronto is also now described as a confirmed participant in next week’s discussion window. MLB.com reports that MLB Network insider Jon Heyman was the first to indicate a meeting with Skubal was expected involving the Blue Jays, adding another club to the list of teams considered to be actively in play beyond New York.

Beyond the Mets and Blue Jays, MLB.com’s summary identifies other teams with known interest. The Dodgers and Padres are referenced as clubs that have also been linked to Skubal, bringing the total of formally discussed contenders to four. MLB.com further states there are at least two additional “mystery teams” monitoring Skubal’s market, with that number described as coming from multiple reports.

During the General Managers Meetings, Heyman also weighed in on league-wide perceptions of the front-runner. MLB.com says Heyman believes the Mets are “probably the favorite” to land Skubal, ahead of the incumbent Los Angeles Dodgers. MLB.com further reports that Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes acknowledged the club’s interest in Skubal during those GM meetings.

Even with the Mets’ apparent centrality to the negotiations, MLB.com’s rundown makes clear that the Dodgers remain a factor because of their existing financial framework and prior trade approach to obtaining Skubal. Skubal was acquired by Los Angeles at the Trade Deadline via a deal that included three prospects sent to the Tigers, and MLB.com notes that this history could shape how far the Dodgers are willing—or able—to push beyond their current comparative benchmarks.

MLB.com reports that contract length could be a key constraint for Los Angeles. It describes reporting that the Dodgers would be unlikely to go beyond the term of Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 12-year deal. At the same time, MLB.com notes the Dodgers could take cues from their recent spending patterns, pointing to last year’s Kyle Tucker contract, which MLB.com describes as a shorter-term, higher average annual value deal.

Additional discussion in MLB.com’s recap points to other clubs that have been connected to Skubal’s market presence. MLB.com mentions that Heyman referenced the Giants, the Phillies and the Padres as teams involved in the sweepstakes, and it notes that at least some of those clubs have already expressed interest in Skubal, including the Padres.

The financial ceiling and contract benchmarks surrounding Skubal are part of the reason negotiations are expected to be complicated. MLB.com reports that Skubal, a 29-year-old two-time Cy Young Award winner, could set new contract records for a pitcher this offseason—citing benchmarks for the largest guaranteed commitment and the highest average annual value currently held by other top earners.

For the Cubs specifically, MLB.com reports that they are expected not to enter the bidding war even if there is internal desire to strengthen the starting rotation. MLB.com’s recap says Chicago appears unlikely to make a push for Skubal, while still being prepared to check in on other free-agent pitchers—an approach framed against the backdrop of all five of the Cubs’ listed end-of-season 2026 rotation members being free agents.

As next week’s meetings are expected to define the first concrete step in Skubal’s market timeline, MLB.com’s account suggests that the Mets and Blue Jays have moved from being broadly linked to being directly scheduled for conversations. However, because MLB.com’s article is presented as a roundup of expectations and reported interest rather than a confirmed signing, any inference about the eventual team assignment remains unconfirmed until formal contract terms are announced by MLB clubs.

Research gap for readers: the source provided does not include confirmed contract offers, final meeting locations/dates, or any signed agreements. Until a club and Skubal reach a deal and publicly announce the terms, the reporting remains limited to expectations and scheduled meeting reports attributed to league figures and MLB sources.