Tarik Skubal’s first outing in a Dodgers uniform came Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, and the debut ended with Los Angeles on the wrong side of a 5-1 loss to the Cubs.
The former Tigers ace, who won two Cy Young Awards, was dealt late Saturday night from Detroit to L.A. ahead of the trade deadline. In his first start for his new club, Skubal worked six innings and gave up two runs, including a third-inning homer by Danny Swanson.
He was sharp for most of the night, limiting Chicago to four hits and finishing with six strikeouts. Two of those hits came in his final inning. Skubal also walked two and exited with the Dodgers trailing 2-1.
Before Tuesday, Skubal had spent his entire major league career with Detroit. The Tigers drafted him in the ninth round in 2018 out of Seattle University, and now his move to Los Angeles is complete after years in the organization.
The deal that sent him west brought Detroit three prospects: Triple-A pitcher River Ryan, Double-A outfielder Zyhir Hope and High-A pitcher Brady Smith. Hope is regarded by some prospect rankers as a top-25 prospect in baseball.
Tigers president Scott Harris said Monday it’s been clear for a long time that Detroit wouldn’t be in any position to sign Skubal long-term.
Depending how the Dodgers set their rotation, Skubal could end up facing his former team at Comerica Park when the clubs meet Aug. 28-30.
In Other News...
Dean Kremers Twins Debut Exposed A Bigger Problem Than It Seemed
Dean Kremers first turn in a Twins uniform gave Minnesota a useful look at what he can offer, and at least on the surface it was steady enough. He held the Kansas City Royals to one run over five innings, worked with composure and looked comfortable enough handling the moment, which is no small thing for a pitcher arriving in a new setting and trying to make a quick impression.
The deeper read, though, is that the outing also showed how much Kremers value depends on the shape of his arsenal. When his splitter is snapping the way it usually does, it gives hitters a very different problem, but against Kansas City it played more like a pitch they could track, which made the rest of his approach easier to anticipate. Minnesota now has a pitch mix to consider going forward, and the question is whether a different look can give Kremer back some of the uncertainty that made him attractive in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Ryan's Sudden Return Raises A Bigger Twins Rotation Concern
Joe Ryan is back in Minnesota to be evaluated by the Twins head team physician after his latest stretch of uneven starts, a development that adds another layer of concern to a rotation already trying to steady itself. Manager Derek Shelton said Ryans condition is being reviewed after he dealt with back and glute issues, with the club trying to get a clearer read on what has been bothering him.
The timing matters because Ryan had already been scuffling since the All-Star break, giving up 17 runs in 15 1/3 innings while also working through discomfort earlier this season in his back and elbow. For the Twins, the bigger question now is not just how quickly Ryan can reset, but what his availability means for the immediate rotation picture as they wait on the teams evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Ryans Rough Stretch Just Took A Troubling Turn For Twins
Joe Ryans rough stretch went from concerning to more pointed Tuesday night, when he lasted 5 1/3 innings in a loss to the Royals and gave up five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks. More notably for the Twins, his fastball sat at 92.2 mph, below his season norm, a sign that the issues around him have gone beyond a simple bad outing.
With the frustration building, Minnesota has decided to take a closer look at what might be going on. Ryan is headed back to be evaluated by the clubs head team physician, a step that suggests the Twins want more clarity before his next turn through the rotation. [Read more 🡒]