The Detroit Tigers’ return for Tarik Skubal has reportedly been revealed, and Scott Harris is betting heavily on athletic upside, power and pitching depth.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Los Angeles Dodgers are acquiring Skubal in exchange for outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handed pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith.
The trade had not yet appeared on MLB’s official transaction tracker at the time of publication, so the deal remains subject to formal confirmation. Based on the reported package, Detroit is receiving three players ranked among the Dodgers’ top 17 prospects on the attached 2026 MLB Pipeline list.
Tigers Land Three Ranked Dodgers Prospects
The centerpiece is Hope, a 21-year-old left-handed outfielder ranked No. 5 in Los Angeles’ system on the attached rankings.
Ryan checks in at No. 7, while Smith is listed at No. 17.
It is not a package built around quantity. Detroit targeted three recognizable pieces, including one of the most powerful young outfielders in the minors, an MLB-ready pitcher and a high-upside arm who has piled up strikeouts in the lower levels.
For Skubal, anything less would have been difficult to sell.
Zyhir Hope Gives Detroit Another Premium Young Bat
Hope is the headliner.
The 5-foot-10, 193-pound outfielder has hit .293 with a .369 on-base percentage, a .530 slugging percentage, 23 home runs and 18 stolen bases during the 2026 season. MLB Pipeline also ranks him No. 19 among all prospects in baseball, with 60-grade power and a strong throwing arm.
That combination of strength and athleticism immediately makes Hope one of the most intriguing players in Detroit’s system.
He is not simply a slugger standing in one spot. Hope has the speed to contribute on the bases and the athletic ability to handle center field, though he has also seen time in the corners. His left-handed power should play well alongside a young Tigers core that already includes Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle and Riley Greene.
There is swing-and-miss risk. Hope’s strikeout totals remain high, and advanced pitchers will test him at the edges of the zone. The upside is obvious when he connects.
Hope has already recorded four multi-home-run games during the 2026 season. That is serious impact potential.
River Ryan Could Help the Tigers Quickly
Ryan gives Detroit a pitcher who is much closer to the majors.
The 27-year-old right-hander reached Triple-A Oklahoma City this season after missing all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. In eight Triple-A starts during 2026, Ryan posted a 4.46 ERA with 43 strikeouts and only eight walks across 36⅓ innings.
Those numbers include at least one rough outing that inflated the ERA. The strikeout-to-walk ratio tells a more encouraging story.
Ryan’s arsenal can be electric. MLB Pipeline gives his fastball a 65 grade and his slider a 60, with the four-seamer operating in the upper 90s and occasionally reaching triple digits. His curveball, cutter and changeup give him several ways to attack hitters.
Detroit could view him as a near-term rotation option, a multi-inning weapon or a high-leverage reliever. His injury history creates risk, but he has already shown that his stuff can work against major-league hitters.
Before undergoing elbow surgery, Ryan recorded a 1.33 ERA across four starts for Los Angeles in 2024. The Tigers are betting he can still become a meaningful big-league arm.
Brady Smith Is the Long-Term Lottery Ticket
Smith is the furthest from Detroit, but his 2026 strikeout numbers jump off the page.
The 21-year-old right-hander recorded 113 strikeouts over 74.1 innings across two minor-league levels this season. He posted a 4.37 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 21 starts, with most of his success coming before a late promotion to High-A.
The Dodgers selected Smith in the third round of the 2023 draft, but Tommy John surgery delayed the start of his professional career.
His changeup is viewed as his best pitch, and his projectable frame leaves room for more physical development. Command will determine whether he remains a starter, but the swing-and-miss ability gives the Tigers something worth developing.
What the Package Says About Detroit’s Plan
This return does not replace Tarik Skubal. No three prospects could reasonably be expected to replace one of baseball’s dominant pitchers immediately.
Detroit appears to have targeted a blend of timelines.
Hope could become a middle-of-the-order outfielder by 2027. Ryan has a chance to help the major-league pitching staff much sooner. Smith is a longer-term development play with significant strikeout upside.
That structure matters.
Harris could not trade Skubal for a collection of distant teenagers and ask fans to wait four more years. Ryan offers some immediate possibility, while Hope gives Detroit another potential cornerstone to place beside Clark and McGonigle.
The Tigers now have to prove they can turn those possibilities into wins.
Bottom Line
The reported Tarik Skubal return is built around three ranked Dodgers prospects:
Zyhir Hope, a powerful and athletic outfielder with 23 home runs in 2026.
River Ryan, an MLB-ready right-hander with premium velocity and five usable pitches.
Brady Smith, a young strikeout machine with 113 punchouts in 74.1 innings this season.
It is a substantial package. Whether it becomes a good trade will depend on development, health and what Detroit builds around its young core.
Skubal was the sure thing.
The Tigers just traded him for three chances to create something bigger.
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