The Los Angeles Dodgers made the blockbuster move to acquire back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers over the weekend leading up to the trade deadline.
Skubal made his debut with L.A. on Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, and while the team lost 5-1, he put together a strong outing.
He pitched 6.0 innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out six batters. The bullpen allowed three runs over the final three innings, and the Dodgers have now lost five consecutive games.
Dave Roberts Speaks on Skubal’s Debut
In the postgame, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shared his thoughts on Skubal’s first outing.
“I thought Tarik was fine. Lot of emotion and adrenaline. He limited the damage,” Roberts said. “Skubal’s stuff was good. Really outstanding. This was the first time I’d seen him pitch live, and even if it wasn’t perfect, he was throwing very powerful pitches.”
Dave Roberts was asked about Tarik Skubals outing.
“Skubal’s stuff was good. Really outstanding. This was the first time I’d seen him pitch live, and even if it wasn’t perfect, he was throwing very powerful pitches. pic.twitter.com/wEeDlydfas
— DodgersMuse (@LADodgersMuse) August 5, 2026
Roberts on Skubal’s Workload
Some fans and media members questioned why Roberts decided to pull Skubal after six innings despite him throwing just 85 pitches, and the manager kept his answer simple, opting to err on the side of caution as the season progresses.
“I’m not going to push him every time out,” Roberts said. “We have a lot of baseball left to play. He’s a guy that we’re all counting on, so I think that I’m going to manage, pick my spots with him.”
That marked Skubal’s lowest pitch count in a game since June 24. Roberts, much like he has with Shohei Ohtani, appears focused on ensuring his roster is at full strength for October.
Dave Roberts Gets Honest About Tarik Skubal’s Dodgers Debut