Tarik Skubal’s return to Detroit carried more emotion than he expected Friday night. The former Tigers ace faced his old team in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform after spending his entire MLB career with Detroit.
A tribute video played as Skubal walked in from the bullpen at Comerica Park. Detroit News’ Bob Wojnowski reported that Skubal appeared emotional, while the crowd responded with overwhelming cheers.
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Skubal later confirmed the moment affected him deeply, saying, “I’ve come to figure out I don’t really know myself that well.”
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He then said, “I think I did cry if you go watch the video. There were definitely tears. Luckily enough, I was able to kind of make it to the tunnel before more happened.
Speaking about his time in Detroit, Skubal said, “It’s tough. This is the place I’ve known my entire career since 2018. So, yeah, it was special for sure.”
He also joked about the unusual connection between his name and Detroit’s traditional chants. “With the last name Skubal, you don’t know if they’re boos or they’re cheering for you,” he said. “So I’m going to assume they were cheering for me.”
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The emotional reception gave way to business once Skubal took the mound. The 29-year-old delivered six strong innings, allowing one run on four hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Tarik Skubal delivers against his former team
MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Detroit Tigers
Detroit, Michigan, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Skubal threw 83 pitches and wanted to continue into the seventh inning. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts instead followed a workload plan after Skubal recently threw 106 and 107 pitches.
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That decision reflects Los Angeles’ larger challenge with its rotation. Skubal represents a major postseason addition, but protecting his workload matters with October approaching.
The outing offered exactly what the Dodgers wanted from their new ace. He controlled Detroit’s lineup, avoided free passes and gave Los Angeles six efficient innings.
The Dodgers bullpen then completed three scoreless innings to preserve the 2-1 victory. That combination also showed the structure Los Angeles can use around Skubal during a playoff run.
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For Detroit, the night carried a different meaning. The Tigers lost the game, but their fans gave Skubal the reception that matched his importance to the organization.
Skubal now turns his attention toward Los Angeles and the World Series. Still, his first return to Detroit showed that seven seasons with one organization can leave a lasting connection.
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