Uncertainty over Shohei Ohtani makes Tarik Skubal a must-get for Dodgers

The discomfort was noticeable.In his stride when he ran to second base for a double.In how he bent over and placed his hands on his knees when he tagged up to reach third base.Shohei Ohtani was in obvious pain.Ohtani might be determined to return to the mound this season, but how can the Dodgers watch him move the way he did on Friday night and believe they can count on him to pitch in October?They can’t.They can’t, which is why between now and the trade deadline on Monday, they have to strike a deal with the Detroit Tigers for Tarik Skubal.Trading for Skubal could force the Dodgers to stretch beyond their comfort zone, but the effort would be worthwhile.A three-peat is at stake.Just a couple of months ago, Skubal represented a potential luxury purchase for the Dodgers.  California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.

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Never miss a story Ohtani was still taking regular turns in the rotation at the time.The Dodgers were optimistic that Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow would return from their respective injuries.As upbeat as the Dodgers remain about Snell and Glasnow, Ohtani’s uncertain status has changed the equation for them.

They now have too many question marks in their starting rotation.Starting pitching is what carried the Dodgers to their second consecutive World Series championship last year, but they have to be wondering if they rely on a similar formula to win a third.With Ohtani, Snell and Glasnow in play to rejoin Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the rotation, the Dodgers might not need Skubal to win another title.But they also might, and the chances of them needing Skubal to survive three rounds of postseason play have only increased significantly in recent weeks.In addition to losing Ohtani as a pitcher because of knee and biceps injuries, the Dodgers have watched their once...