The Los Angeles Dodgers may pursue the Detroit Tigers ace simply to block rivals.
Of the seven teams who are linked to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, the Los Angeles Dodgers are labeled the team that needs him the least.
MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan put together the list, one that sees LA come in at No. 7.
On the opposite end of things, he names the Milwaukee Brewers as the team who needs Skubal the most.
Remember, the Dodgers swept the Brewers in last season's National League Championship Series en route to winning back-to-back World Series.
LA seems to always have the Brewers' number, and Milwaukee is, by far, their strongest competition in the NL.
When it comes to acquiring Skubal, many believe this is a case of the Dodgers keeping him from the competition, rather than adding someone they desperately needed.
Dodgers don't 'need' Skubal, but they could sure use him
In no world does this Dodgers roster need to add another former multi-time Cy Young Award winner, but if the opportunity presents itself, why not?
The Dodgers have a chance to send away prospects that were never sniffing this stacked roster in the first place. There's not a world where that would come back to haunt them, especially if Skubal set them over the edge and brought this team to a third straight World Series title.
"In a vacuum, the Dodgers have more rotation questions than some of the other teams on this list," Harrigan wrote. "But come on. The Dodgers have won two straight World Series titles and will be the favorites to win a third even if they do nothing at the Trade Deadline."
Harrigan has a point, but again, the Dodgers have shown time and time again they're not afraid to make big moves and shake things up. A top prospect for them doesn't mean nearly as much as it does to a team like the Brewers, so this is yet another example of the Dodgers being greedy at the deadline, but it makes complete sense, as this could be the last year they can get away with it.
Dodgers' rotation has a few question marks
Shohei Ohtani's absence from the mound could cause some issues in October if the team can't get him back on track. Elsewhere, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow could be nowhere near the level they once were, but that will be determined in due time.
Adding Skubal puts that noise to rest, but if all three are healthy and they added Skubal anyway, this could be the ultimate super team. Knowing they only need a four-man rotation in the postseason, LA would be set up for success far more than they ever have before, and that's a super scary sight for the rest of the league.
