MLB The Show 26 is celebrating the MLB trade deadline with a new Diamond Dynasty program that includes a highly-rated card for pitcher Tarik Skubal. Skubal, a two-time Cy Young award winner with the Detroit Tigers, was recently traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The "New Threads Trade Deadline" program, available today, features a 99-rated Skubal card. This special card celebrates Skubal's real-life move and positions him as a "villain" in the context of the game. The program also introduces other player cards, including Jo Adell (98), Taylor Ward (98), Arjun Nimmala (98), Ryan Zeferjahn (97), Luke Weaver (97), Luis Castillo (97), Liam Hicks (97), Daulton Varsho (97), and AJ Minter (97). While Skubal is the sole 99-rated player in the program, additional booster packs contain a few more.
Skubal's addition to the Dodgers in real life bolsters an already formidable starting rotation. The player himself has expressed a lack of sympathy for those who criticize the Dodgers for accumulating top talent. However, the Dodgers have recently experienced a difficult stretch, leading some to speculate about a potential karmic rebalancing. Skubal's tenure with the team might be impacted by the upcoming expiration of the collective bargaining agreement between the players and the league, with a proposed salary cap being a significant point of contention that could affect future seasons, potentially extending his time away from playing until 2028.