Dodgers should have no problem getting around Yankees if latest Tarik Skubal rumors are true

The Tarik Skubal trade rumors ratcheted up over the weekend. The Los Angeles Dodgers remain the universal favorites to land Skubal if he is indeed traded over the summer, but the New York Post's Jon Heyman seemed to push the momentum in the favor of the New York Yankees.

Talking through the needs the Yankees have across their roster, Heyman provided some insight into the Detroit Tigers' line of thinking. He noted that in their initial review of the Yankees' farm system, the Tigers are believed to be impressed with shortstop George Lombard Jr. and pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange.

Both are Top 100 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, and Lombard would be the clear headliner, sitting as baseball's No. 18 prospect. That type of package would combine a shortstop with power and pitcher whose fastball can reach 103 mph. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why the Tigers like those two players.

But lost in the reporting of some actual names that the Tigers have interest in is the fact that Heyman called the Yankees a "long shot" to land Skubal. In other words, the Dodgers are still sitting in the driver's seat.

Latest Yankees' Tarik Skubal trade buzz gives Dodgers a clear hand up

The Dodgers have four prospects in MLB Pipeline's top 50, and seven in the top 100. LA can trade multiple prospects from that group, and still walk away with one of the best farm systems in baseball.

And, to really split hairs, River Ryan is a far more intriguing pitching prospect than Lagrange. While there's a chance that Lagrange could find his way into a rotation if he can expand his pitch-mix, there are clearer expectations with Ryan.

There's a case to be made that Ryan is capable of sliding into a major-league rotation right now. Considering how thin the Tigers are on pitching prospects, and the status of their rotation after this season, Ryan is a far more appealing prospect than what the Yankees can offer. That says nothing of the other, more pressing, needs the Yankees have at catcher and the left side of the infield.

The lines aren't blurred for the Dodgers. They have had one clear trade target dating back to the offseason, and it remains Skubal. Even with the Yankees being the flavor of the month, the Dodgers still are going to control the conversation.

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