The Dodgers Are Great Again. But Their Rotation Has a Problem.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are doing that thing they always do. They’re winning a lot of baseball games. Back-to-back championships will do that to a franchise, and yeah, it wouldn’t shock anyone if they made it three in a row in 2026. They’ve got the best roster in the sport, on paper at least. But here’s the thing about being the best — you still have to figure out what’s actually broken before October.

According to Sonja Chen of MLB.com, the Dodgers might look to “explore” trades for starting pitching. And it makes sense when you look at the numbers. Roki Sasaki has an electric ceiling, but his 5.40 ERA right now is not what you want from a guy you’re counting on in a playoff series. Emmet Sheehan hasn’t been much better with a 4.91 ERA. That’s not ideal for a team that expects to be playing deep into October.

Do the Dodgers actually need Tarik Skubal?

The Tigers’ ace is going to be the name everyone talks about between now and the trade deadline. And sure, the Dodgers could absolutely get in on that conversation. They have the prospect capital and the willingness to spend. But do they need him? Probably not. They didn’t need Kyle Tucker either last offseason, and they signed him anyway. That’s just how this front office operates. They see a star, they go get the star. So don’t be surprised if Andrew Friedman is on the phone with Detroit.

But Skubal might not even get traded. The Tigers could hold onto him. If that happens, the Dodgers have options. Joe Ryan of the Twins is having a solid year. Freddy Peralta in New York is always a weapon when he’s on. And Robbie Ray with the Giants still has the stuff to miss bats. Any of those guys would slot into a rotation that’s good but has real question marks behind the top few arms.

The bottom line is the Dodgers don’t have to make a move. They’ll be World Series favorites whether they stand pat or not. But given how this front office has operated for years, they’re probably not done yet. They rarely are. So keep an eye on the trade wire. Something’s coming.