Passan: Skubal Expected to Sign Before December 1 Lockout Deadline

Tarik Skubal is not expected to wait long. ESPN insider Jeff Passan reports the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, the biggest domino of this winter's free-agent market, is expected to sign before the December 1 lockout, giving clubs roughly a month to make their best offers. The current collective bargaining agreement expires on that date, and a lockout has been predicted to stretch beyond Opening Day next year, which makes Skubal's timeline the story that will unlock the rest of the market. Passan names the two highest-payroll clubs in baseball, the Dodgers and the New York Mets, as the most obvious suitors, while noting the Chicago Cubs badly want Skubal but are sceptical they will compete at the sort of money expected, well in excess of $300 million and potentially beyond $400 million. Skubal is the Dodgers' biggest free agent after a season in which he established himself as the game's premier available arm. As in past winters, once the top pitcher signs, the rest of the market tends to move quickly, so rival front offices will be watching his negotiations closely. With the clock ticking toward December 1, the next few weeks will decide whether he stays in Los Angeles or starts somewhere new.