Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made a startling trade revelation that could send major shockwaves across Major League Baseball. In a media interview with Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Roberts slyly claimed that the Dodgers could pursue Tigers ace and two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal in the upcoming transfer window.
Amid criticism that the LAD are “spoiling baseball” by acquiring what some consider excessive top-tier talent, Roberts couldn’t help but laugh at the possibility of Skubal joining the two-time World Champions in their quest for a historic three-peat. “They would go ballistic, but we would have the prospect capital to do that. We are one of the teams that could do that with the Tigers,” said the Dodgers manager.
Fans were quick to share their reactions to Roberts’s viral claim, with many trolling the manager and accusing the incumbent World Series champions of destroying a level playing field in Major League Baseball by acquiring an abundance of elite talent.
“This is pure ragebait directly from an MLB manager lmfao,” one fan commented.
“It’s the league’s fault for allowing this, but I hope Dodgers fans can appreciate why the rest of us think this is f*****g stupid and lame, and so is Roberts,” another fan commented.
“For what it’s worth, I think long-term it would be a dumb trade. This team is old as hell, and trading away our really good prospects for a potential rental Skubal coming off surgery just seems dumb to me,” yet another fan commented.
Some other fans offered their honest take, explaining why the NL West leaders or manager Roberts shouldn’t be targeted for hopping to make a move for the Tigers’ ace if a chance arises in the near future.
“Why wouldn’t he? People get mad at Roberts and the Dodgers but there’s no reason someone else couldn’t do this. You expect me to believe Texas isn’t a big enough market to play ball like this? Or Florida even? Skubal going to the Dodgers isn’t going to be the Dodgers being villains its 29 teams failing to step up and play for real,” one fan commented.
“I know this is not what anyone wants to hear, but are the Dodgers not supposed to put the best team they can on the field? The Dodgers have become a destination for superstars, and it isn’t just the money. They are an incredibly well run organization in all aspects,” another fan commented.
“I want them to do it because the league, the fans, the subreddit, and the sun will all explode and I want to watch the fireworks show,” yet another fan commented.
What Did Dave Roberts Have To Say About the Possible Salary Cap Impact if Skubal Were Acquired?
The baseball fraternity and the rest of the 29 ballclubs will start firing shots at Dodgers management over the increased salary cap and the restrictions tied to it, should the ballclub make a potential move to acquire the Tigers’ ace. In response, Roberts gave a measured reply to Bob Nightengale.
“My honest opinion is the majority of takes about the Dodgers couldn’t be more lazy, that it’s just about the payroll. It’s about the draft. It’s about layering on where we pick in the draft annually. The player development. How we acquire international talent,” Roberts said.
“How we perform consistently at the major-league level. I actually think it’s a competitive advantage in the sense that people feel that way and do not look at themselves in the mirror and see how they can operate things better. So that’s beneficial for us,” he added.
Whether the LAD pursues Skubal in the midseason trade window remains to be seen, but for now, the manager and his unit will be focused on winning the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks and thereby securing an important intra-divisional series before hosting the Angels at Dodger Stadium over the weekend.
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