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Tarik Skubal will take the mound Friday in Detroit to face the Tigers for the first time since being traded to the Dodgers, per MLB.com. It’s one of those starts that carries extra weight beyond the box score — a reigning Cy Young winner going back to the place where he became one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Skubal’s journey to this point has been remarkable. He came up through the Tigers’ system and turned himself into an elite left-hander in Detroit, culminating in his American League Cy Young Award in 2024. That season he posted a 2.39 ERA with 228 strikeouts, establishing himself as one of the most dominant arms in the game. His last start for the Dodgers came on August 22, and he’s been a cornerstone of this rotation since arriving in Los Angeles. The Tigers were his home, his development ground, and now he returns wearing Dodger blue. That’s going to be a charged atmosphere at Comerica Park.

These homecoming starts are always interesting. Some guys try to downplay them, others admit they’re circled on the calendar. I’d guess Skubal falls somewhere in between — he’s too locked in as a competitor to let sentiment distract him, but he’s human. The Detroit fans watched him grow from a raw prospect into a Cy Young winner. There will be emotions on both sides.

For us, the storyline is compelling but the priority is simple: we need Skubal to keep doing what he’s been doing. He’s been the anchor of a rotation that has dealt with significant injury concerns this season, including Tyler Glasnow‘s extended stint on the 60-day IL (he just returned) and the careful management of Shohei Ohtani‘s pitching rehab. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki round out what should be a dominant group when fully healthy, but Skubal has been the most consistently available and effective arm in the bunch.

Friday’s start is also a good litmus test for where Skubal’s head is at down the stretch. We’re deep into August, the playoff push is in full gear, and emotional distractions — even positive ones — can knock a pitcher off his routine. I don’t expect that with Skubal. He’s as professional as they come. But it’s worth watching how he handles the moment. A clean, dominant outing in front of his old fans would be a statement.

The Dodgers’ rotation depth has been tested all year, and Skubal has been the guy we could count on every fifth day. That consistency is invaluable heading into September. Friday in Detroit is a great baseball storyline, but more importantly, it’s another opportunity for Skubal to keep building toward October.

Source(s): Staff (MLB.com) | First reported: August 26, 2026 10:51 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers