Dodgers fans can't get excited about Bob Nightengale Tarik Skubal trade rumor update

USA Today's Bob Nightengale just linked the Los Angeles Dodgers to Tarik Skubal, which probably means a trade is not happening. It's already felt that way as KTLA's David Pingalore has been driving the conversation without many people buying into it. At the very least, though, Nightengale's stamp on it gives it a bit more credibility.

In a piece released December 10, Nightengale noted that the Detroit Tigers — who don't consider Skubal untouchable — are "intrigued" by what the Dodgers could potentially fork over for Skubal in the form of prospect capital.

This Skubal buzz would be more exciting for Dodgers fans if — with all due respect to the long-tenured MLB insider — it wasn't coming from Nightengale, who hasn't exactly been on a heater this offseason as far as sharing MLB intel is concerned.

Dodgers fans might be more excited about the latest Tarik Skubal rumor if it wasn't coming from Bob Nightengale

Nightengale infamously reported on December 6 that the Chicago Cubs and Zac Gallen were finalizing a deal, only to have fellow insider Jeff Passan overrule that report within minutes. Nightengale proceeded to update his own report, writing that the Cubs were merely "HOPEFUL" about signing Gallen.

Nightengale deserves a lot of grace here, but that doesn't mean Dodgers fans should give any credence to his Skubal stuff.

That being said, there are other pundits to turn to if Dodgers fans want to convince themselves that a Skubal trade is in the cards this winter. Former MLB GM Steve Phillips appeared as a guest on Buster Olney's Baseball Tonight podcast on Tuesday and made a Dodgers-Skubal deal sound possible. While Phillips indicated that the New York Mets are probably in the best position to trade for Skubal, he also described a Dodgers deal centered around Tyler Glasnow.

“If (the Tigers) wanted controlled cost on Tyler Glasnow, who doesn't have a no-trade clause, and an Emmet Sheehan in the deal, and a (Jose) De Paula in the outfield, or some other piece, the Dodgers could be (a landing spot for Skubal),” Phillips said. “I mean, I hate to say it … it depends on what Detroit wants … but it's doable. Like, if Glasnow fits in Detroit, that's a doable deal.”

Doable! There you have it, Dodgers fans! Not one shaky source, but now two long-tenured pundits of the sport have envisioned Skubal in Dodger blue. It's basically done.

In all seriousness, though, imagine the horror of Mets fans and media if Skubal did somehow end up in Los Angeles instead of Queens. The tabloids in New York would make the Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso losses feel like gains by comparison.

For now, we'll remain hopeful, but it's important to temper expectations with how slow this year's Winter Meetings went.