Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto Reacts to Tarik Skubal Trade in New Video

The Los Angeles Dodgers pulled off the biggest blockbuster of the trade deadline by acquiring back-to-back reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, and even their own players were caught off-guard.

Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto was asked about Skubal's acquisition after Saturday's 3-2 loss against the Boston Red Sox, and he admitted to reporters that he didn't expect his team to pull off the deal.

"I was reading some rumors about that, but that it actually happened, I'm pretty surprised," Yamamoto said through an interpreter (1:40 mark).

Yamamoto leads the Dodgers with a 2.76 ERA and 121 strikeouts while compiling an 11-7 record in 20 starts. He will now be joined at the top of the rotation by Skubal, who overcame a six-week absence due to bone chips in his elbow to compile a 7-5 record, a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts across 16 starts.

Los Angeles landed Skubal by sending Detroit three prospects: outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported that the Dodgers were motivated by their depleted starting rotation, as Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow are all "in varying stages of returning to the mound from injury."

"The Dodgers had long touted their depth as a reason they didn't need Skubal. Snell, who has made one start this season, is expected to rejoin the rotation after his next rehab outing. Glasnow, out since May 6 because of back spasms, will begin a minor league rehab assignment next week," Gonzalez reported. "And though Ohtani is still troubled by a sore left knee that seems to bother him only on the mound, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said earlier this week that he fully expects him to pitch in October."

Adding Skubal to the top of the Dodgers' rotation gives them the most talented crop of starters in MLB, so they could be on the verge of pulling off the first World Series three-peat since the New York Yankees in 1998-2000.