The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal explained that the Dodgers won the race for Skubal because the Brewers and Rays weren't desperate enough to complete a deal for the back-to-back reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. "Why didn't the two small-market teams try harder for Skubal? The Brewers did not consider Skubal's remaining $9.4 million an obstacle, a person briefed on their thinking told The Athletic. The Rays likely did not, either," Rosenthal reported. Rosenthal reported that while Hope, Ryan and Smith are "highly regarded," the Brewers and other teams "could have parted with better prospects for Skubal."