As the Toronto Blue Jays look ahead to free agency and the offseason to bolster the team after a relatively disappointing season, the ball club is in the mix for the winter's top target in the market. With the Blue Jays linked to star Tarik Skubal, this insider details how serious the team should be considered when it comes to the pitcher.

Speaking on “Foul Territory,” Ken Rosenthal says that Toronto is involved in the Skubal sweepstakes, as the team will have an in-person meeting with him next week. Rosenthal ponders whether the franchise could have an advantage in giving Skubal a longer-term deal rather than a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“Maybe this is the year, because of the labor uncertainty and what's coming in the next CBA, we don't know that the Dodgers say we're not going long with this guy, we'll do four times some crazy number, four times 50, and maybe Skubal is of the mind, ‘No, I want a longer deal,' and maybe the Toronto Blue Jays, who offered Kyle Tucker 10 years, would be willing to do that,” Rosenthal said Thursday.

The Blue Jays "absolutely have to be taken seriously" in the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, says @Ken_Rosenthal. pic.twitter.com/pdn8uZG6Oz

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) November 12, 2026

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There's no denying that Skubal is going to be making sizable money, with projections having him getting a $400 million contract, as the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner has been one of the top pitchers in the MLB for the last handful of seasons. Rosenthal continued, saying that the Blue Jays “absolutely have to be taken seriously here,” and even if the team doesn't get him, they are due to get a top player in the future.

“And at some point, I would expect, maybe it's not Skubal, but maybe it's down the line, they get one of these big guys because it's a great place to play, they treat their players extremely well, and they went to the World Series in 2025. It's a lot to like there,” Rosenthal said.

It remains to be seen if Skubal's pursuit of Skubal will be a success, as the team looks to improve after finishing with a 79-83 record.