Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal is preparing for an emotional reunion as he is set to face his former team, the Detroit Tigers, on Friday night. The start comes only four weeks after Skubal was traded from Detroit to Los Angeles.
Skubal, who made his major league debut with the Tigers in 2020 and had played his entire career with the team before the trade, acknowledged that confronting his former teammates at Comerica Park may be challenging emotionally. "We'll see, right?" Skubal told SI.com. "The whole process was emotional. I have a lot of respect for those guys over there. I'm just going to go play baseball."
Since joining the Dodgers on Aug. 1, Skubal has made four starts. He holds a 1-2 record with a 3.38 ERA in that span. His most recent outing was a victory on Saturday night against Pittsburgh, where he recorded 11 strikeouts over seven innings in a 4-3 win for Los Angeles.
Overall this season, Skubal, 29, has a 8-7 record with a 2.91 ERA. The trade sent the two-time defending American League Cy Young Award winner to the two-time defending World Series champions.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence in Skubal's ability to handle the homecoming. "I think, you know, that whole ‘be where your feet are’ adage, I think that’s just who he is," Roberts said. "Some people have a hard time letting go, but I think that Tarik is a guy that, wherever he’s at, he’s all in." Roberts added that Skubal has a good trait of immersing himself with coaches and teammates, which he values.
Skubal stated, "I'm sure it will be emotional there just because of the history." He noted that the emotions will be fresh due to the short time he has had to adjust to his new team before returning to Detroit. "But at the end of the day, I’ve got to go play baseball," Skubal said. "I’ve got to compete and do what I do well, what makes me a good pitcher. I’ll probably handle the emotions after."
The Tigers are expected to counter Skubal with right-hander Drew Anderson, who has a 4-5 record with a 4.09 ERA this season. The game marks the opener of a three-game series between the two clubs.