Los Angeles Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal is in line to potentially receive a contract worth half a billion dollars.

ESPN's Jeff Passan says Skubal's upcoming contract could reach $500 million, barring the salary cap.

"The number will be huge. Bear in mind that Skubal turns 30 in November and never before has a pitcher age 30 or older received more than Stephen Strasburg's $245 million (on a seven-year deal) in free agency. Provided there is no salary cap, Skubal could get double that," Passan wrote.

Skubal is set to be a free agent this winter. The expectation is that the 29-year-old will sign a historic, record-setting contract.

Other insiders projected that Skubal could command a deal ranging from $400 million to over $490 million.

As for the length of the contract, it could be around 10 years.

"A deal of that magnitude would presumably be for at least a decade — the sort of commitment teams might balk at because of his age. But someone is going to pay an exorbitant amount for his services," Passan wrote.

"And he is going to be at the heart of the salary cap debate all the while, because barely a handful of teams are interested in paying $50 million a year for 33 starts."

The Dodgers are among the frontrunners to sign Skubal, which is a big reason they traded for him before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Skubal is finishing his one-year, $32 million arbitration salary earned for the 2026 season.

Who Could Challenge the Dodgers for Tarik Skubal?

The southpaw pitcher has certainly earned a massive contract. In his seven-year career, Skubal has been named a two-time All-Star, won two AL Cy Young Awards, won the Triple Crown in 2024, was a two-time All-MLB First Team selection and led the league in strikeouts in 2024.

All those accolades were as a member of the Detroit Tigers, and the Dodgers hope he can win some of those awards, plus some rings, if he decides to remain in Los Angeles.

While the Dodgers would love to keep Skubal, they will have some competition. The New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays are among the likely potential bidders when he hits the open market.

Other big market teams should be involved, too.

Skubal has been solid with the Dodgers. In nine starts, the two-time All-Star has a 4-2 record with a 2.95 ERA, 60 strikeouts and a 1.13 WHIP in 55 innings of work.

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