Skubal Returns to Detroit for First Time Since Tigers Trade

The left-hander will open the series against his former team as the Dodgers' starting pitcher, while right-hander Drew Anderson will be on the mound for the Tigers. Skubal and Anderson were teammates briefly this season before Detroit traded Skubal. After spending all eight seasons of his career with the Tigers, returning to Detroit is a special moment for Skubal.

However, Skubal told The Athletic he is trying to remain focused on the game rather than the memories he has made on that field. "It's playing baseball in a place that's obviously special to me, right?" Skubal said. "I spent eight years there.

But I'm just trying to play baseball. That's gonna be the challenge, just to keep the game the game. Skubal is also set to become a free agent at the end of the 2026 season, which means he could return to the Tigers this offseason.

But again, the two-time Cy Young winner is keeping his focus on playing baseball." If I let my focus shift from that and I start worrying about what's happening three months from now or what has already happened, it just is a distraction, Skubal said. It does me no good to be in that headspace. Friday will mark Skubal's fifth start as part of the Dodgers' rotation. So far with Los Angeles, the southpaw has posted a 3.38 ERA and 30 strikeouts across 24 innings.