Tarik Skubal's been good for the Dodgers, but everyone knows the Yoshinobu Yamamoto truth

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Tarik Skubal because adding a two-time Cy Young Award winner to a championship rotation is the type of absurd luxury this organization can afford.

They did not acquire him because they needed a new ace. After all, they already had one.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto made that point rather emphatically Wednesday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball with 10 strikeouts in the Dodgers' 14-1 demolition of the Cincinnati Reds. The performance improved Yamamoto to 13-8 with a 2.62 ERA and 171 strikeouts over 172 innings this season.

Skubal has hardly disappointed since Los Angeles surrendered Zyhir Hope, River Ryan and Brady Smith to acquire him from the Detroit Tigers. In seven starts with the Dodgers, Skubal owns a 2.95 ERA across 43 innings with 48 strikeouts against only 10 walks. His latest outing was arguably his best with his new club: 7.1 innings and two earned runs against Cincinnati on Tuesday.

That's exactly what the Dodgers wanted from Skubal. But Yamamoto remains the pitcher who has carried this rotation all year.

He's the only Dodgers starter who hasn't missed a turn, and even before Wednesday's gem he led the staff with 165 innings. His 2026 season has also included a stretch of 45 consecutive batters retired, an All-Star selection and a second-half ERA that sat at 2.32 entering his latest start.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is somehow making $325 million look like a bargain for Dodgers

And then there's the contract. Remember when 12 years and $325 million sounded outrageous for a pitcher who had never thrown an MLB inning?

It doesn't anymore.

Yamamoto's deal carries an average annual value of approximately $27.08 million. His actual 2026 base salary is just $12 million, and the contract includes a $50 million signing bonus with no deferred money. He can opt out after the 2029 or 2031 seasons, but otherwise Los Angeles controls him through 2035.

Meanwhile, Skubal is earning $32 million this season alone and is scheduled to reach free agency this winter. That makes Yamamoto's price tag increasingly look less like an extravagance and more like one of the Dodgers' smartest investments.

Skubal may be the shinier new toy, and having both of them in a postseason rotation is downright unfair. But Yamamoto was the 2025 World Series MVP, and he has followed it with another ace-caliber season. If Los Angeles has to hand the baseball to one pitcher with everything on the line, there shouldn't be much debate.

Skubal joining the Dodgers didn't change the hierarchy. It only made everyone appreciate just how ridiculous their No. 1 starter already was.

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