Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers: How One Trade Turned Two-Time Champs Into Pure Villains

The leaves might not be fully turned, but the chase for October baseball is HERE, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are officially the league’s biggest villains. After snatching back-to-back championships, these guys went out and grabbed Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline, firmly cementing their status as the Goliath everyone else has to fight. With 11 other teams eyeing the postseason, every single one of them is coming in as an underdog, ready to take a shot at the champs. Remember how close the Blue Jays got last year to taking down LA? Could 2026 finally be the year a different team climbs to the top of the mountain? The standings through September 21 tell quite a story.

Over in the American League, things are heating up big time! The Rays have locked down the East with a stellar 95-60 record, looking like a real threat. The Guardians are holding it down in the Central at 81-75, and the Rangers lead the West, barely above .500 at 78-78. But man, the Wild Card race is where the real fireworks are! The Yankees, sitting at 89-66, and the Red Sox, 84-72, have both officially punched their tickets to October. Good for them!

That third Wild Card spot, though, is an absolute dogfight. The White Sox are currently hanging on by a thread at 80-76. But they can’t breathe easy, not with the Astros (77-79) only 3.0 games back, the Blue Jays (77-80) a mere 3.5 games behind, and the Orioles (76-81) a close 4.5 games out. Every single game for these teams is a playoff game already. It’s nail-biting stuff, folks!

Now, for the National League, you’ve got your division leaders setting the pace: the Brewers are crushing it with a 98-58 record, the Dodgers are right behind them at 96-60, and the Braves are solid at 92-64. These are some powerhouse teams right there. For the Wild Card spots, the Cubs and Padres are locked in a tie at 87-69, with the Phillies just a hair back at 86-70. They’re all playing some incredible baseball down the stretch.

But seriously, can anyone stop the Dodgers? They’ve already won two straight titles and then they bring in Tarik Skubal? It’s like they’re actively trying to make the rest of the league hate them. The Diamondbacks, at 82-74 and 4.0 games back from the last Wild Card, are still sniffing around, but everyone knows who the real target is. That Dodgers team is a monster, no doubt about it.

It’s crunch time across MLB. With 12 teams expected to clinch a postseason berth by September 27, the drama is only going to intensify. Those last few spots could easily come down to the very final weekend of the regular season, with every magic number being scrutinized. You gotta love this time of year, when every pitch means everything. Get ready, baseball fans, because October is gonna be epic!

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

From the source Originally reported by The Sporting News.