The Dodgers head into their first series after the trade deadline carrying both urgency and a new headline piece.
Los Angeles is in Chicago to face the Cubs after a rough 2-4 homestand that ended with a sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox. Even so, the Dodgers still sit 10 games up in the National League West at 69-43. Chicago comes in at 63-49 after dropping two of three to the New York Yankees.
The big story for Los Angeles is Tarik Skubal. The Dodgers landed the ace in a blockbuster deadline deal, and he is set to make his debut in this series against the Cubs. The two clubs already met in April in Los Angeles, with the Dodgers winning two of three.
Monday’s opener matches left-handers Justin Wrobleski and Matthew Boyd. Wrobleski has been a steady presence for Los Angeles all year, posting a 2.88 ERA in 18 appearances, 17 of them starts.
His last outing was a tougher one, as he gave up four runs over six innings against the Seattle Mariners, but he’ll try to reset against a team he handled well earlier this season. In that April meeting with Chicago, he threw six shutout innings and struck out six.
Boyd has been just as sharp for the Cubs lately. He turned in a 1.67 ERA across five starts in July and owns a 3.41 ERA over 12 starts and 66 innings on the season.
Skubal gets the ball in Game 2, and the Dodgers will be watching closely. The left-hander has been rolling since surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow earlier this year.
In five July starts, he put up a 2.03 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 31 innings. For the season, he carries a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts over 96.2 innings.
Chicago will answer with Javier Assad, who has been solid in a swing role. The right-hander has appeared in 18 games, including nine starts, and has a 3.75 ERA across 69.2 innings.
Wednesday’s finale is still unsettled for Los Angeles. Eric Lauer is in line to start, though he could be traded before the deadline, and Andrew Friedman said Sunday that Lauer would be moving to the bullpen, assuming he’s not traded.
The Cubs are set to counter with Imanaga, who already saw the Dodgers once this season. In late April, he worked 5.1 innings against Los Angeles and allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits.
He enters the series with a 3.67 ERA in 22 starts.
Monday’s first pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. PT/8:05 p.m.
ET. Tuesday also starts at 5:05 p.m.
PT/8:05 p.m. ET, and Wednesday’s finale is scheduled for 11:20 a.m.
PT/2:20 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Cubs Just Got Pulled Into Torontos Deadline Rotation Shakeup
Torontos deadline-day rotation shuffle has already sent ripple effects through the league, and the Cubs were pulled into the middle of it before the dust could settle. The Blue Jays moved quickly ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline, adding Jose Soriano from the Angels while also reshaping the staff with veteran arms, a sign they were prioritizing immediate stability as they mapped out the rest of 2026 and even looked ahead to 2027.
For Chicago, the bigger story is how this kind of deal changes the market around it. A club in deadline mode can turn one trade into a broader reset, and the Cubs now sit in the orbit of a Blue Jays rotation plan that could still keep evolving as Toronto weighs future moves involving its veteran pitchers. Even after the first wave of action, the way Toronto sorts out its staff may decide whether this becomes a one-off adjustment or the start of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Just Paid A Real Prospect Price For An October Push
The Cubs made a clear win-now move, parting with one of their better infield prospects to shore up the roster for the stretch run. Jefferson Rojas was sent to the Mets in a deal that brought back Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor, a transaction that signals Chicago is treating October as more than a distant goal and more like a window worth pushing through right now.
Holmes gives the Cubs a right-handed arm who is still on the injured list but getting close to a return, while Taylor adds experienced outfield depth for the final months of the season. It is the kind of trade that usually comes with an uncomfortable cost, and Chicago paid it by moving a player it had reason to value, betting the short-term upgrade will matter more than the long-term regret. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Just Got A Surprising Deadline Opening They Still Needed
The Cubs still have not made a trade move, but they do have one of the more intriguing deadline paths to monitor as they poke around with Texas. The Rangers have shifted their approach enough to at least listen on some pitching, which has put Chicago in the mix for arms such as Nathan Eovaldi, MacKenzie Gore and Jacob Latz. For a club looking for help without blowing up its deadline, that kind of opening is worth watching closely.
Texas, though, has also sent a mixed message to rival front offices, which is part of what makes this whole thing feel so unsettled. Trade talks can turn quickly at this time of year, and the Cubs are weighing options in a market where the other side may not be nearly as available as it first seemed. [Read more 🡒]