PHOENIX — Should the Dodgers trade for Tarik Skubal?
If the Dodgers are serious about winning a third consecutive World Series title, the answer is simple: yes.
Let's start with this: Do the Dodgers want to three-peat? Of course they do. If that's the goal, then Andrew Friedman should be aggressively pursuing a trade for Skubal before the trade deadline.
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Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park.
When the Dodgers won Game 7 in Toronto last season to secure their second straight championship, many assumed it was inevitable. Looking back, it may seem that way. But anyone who watched the season unfold knows it wasn't easy. The Dodgers survived injuries, pitching shortages, and postseason pressure to get there.
That's exactly why the front office can't sit back and assume its current roster is enough.
The Dodgers should be willing to put together a package of young talent that would be difficult for the Detroit Tigers to refuse.
Los Angeles teams understand what it takes to acquire elite talent. Just look at the Rams, who recently traded for NFL superstar Myles Garrett. Championship organizations aren't always built entirely from within. Some of the biggest stars to play in Los Angeles arrived through trades or free agency.
The Dodgers have one of the deepest farm systems in baseball, and that's exactly the type of organizational strength that allows a team to pursue a pitcher of Skubal's caliber.
The reality is simple: if you want elite talent, you have to be willing to part with elite talent.
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Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Josue De Paula against Team Mexico during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch.
That could mean saying goodbye to a prospect such as Josue De Paula, one of baseball's highest-ranked outfield prospects. It could also require including young pitching such as Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, River Ryan, or Jackson Ferris, players who have value, team control, and upside that would appeal to a rebuilding club.
Some may ask whether the Dodgers really need more pitching.
The answer is yes.
Not because they don't have enough arms, but because October exposes every weakness. Trading a pitcher such as Sheehan or Wrobleski would naturally create a vacancy in the rotation. That's where Skubal fits.
Imagine a postseason rotation featuring Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, and Tarik Skubal.
That's the type of group capable of overwhelming opponents in a short series.
The Dodgers are still hopeful that Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell will return later this season. But both pitchers come with durability concerns. Glasnow has battled injuries throughout his career, while Snell is working his way back from elbow surgery.
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Los Angeles Dodgers starting Blake Snell (7) warms up prior to the game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.
When healthy, both are difference-makers. They proved that during last year's championship run. But counting on either pitcher to stay healthy through October would be a gamble.
Adding Skubal provides insurance while simultaneously giving the Dodgers arguably the most dominant playoff rotation in baseball.
To make a deal happen, the Dodgers may have to adopt the same philosophy Rams general manager Les Snead famously embraced when he said, "F them picks."
Championship windows don't stay open forever.
The Dodgers cannot assume that young pitchers such as Sheehan, Wrobleski, or even Sasaki will immediately thrive under postseason pressure. While all three have immense talent, October baseball is different. Experience matters.
Wrobleski has emerged as a pleasant surprise, leading the Dodgers with seven wins through his first nine starts. His future remains bright. So does Sheehan's.
But prospects and young players are valuable because they can help you acquire proven stars.
Skubal is exactly that.
At 29 years old, he is entering the prime of his career. While younger pitchers may have higher long-term upside, Skubal offers something far more valuable to a team chasing a championship: certainty.
Would the Tigers ask for Andy Pages?
It's possible.
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Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (44) hits a solo home run during the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.
Pages has developed into one of the Dodgers' most important players and is emerging as a legitimate All-Star candidate. Moving him would be difficult, especially given his production and team control.
Still, when discussing a pitcher of Skubal's caliber, nothing should be completely off the table.
Even manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the possibility when speaking with Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
"They would go ballistic, but we would have the prospect capital to do that," Roberts said. "We are one of the teams that could do that with the Tigers."
That's the reality facing the Dodgers as the deadline approaches.
The organization has the prospects. It has the motivation. And most importantly, it has a chance to make an already great team even better.
If the Dodgers want to maximize their opportunity to win a third consecutive World Series championship, they shouldn't be afraid to pay the price.
Championships are expensive. Skubal might be worth every prospect it takes to get him.