Tarik Skubal (30), who recently joined the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB), failed to secure a win in his second start. It was fortunate that he avoided a loss thanks to the support from the batting lineup.
On Tuesday, Skubal started in a home game against the Kansas City Royals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, in the 2026 Major League season. He pitched 5 innings, allowing 4 hits (1 home run), 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, and 3 runs.
Skubal was replaced when the team was trailing 2-3, failing to meet the requirements for a winning pitcher, but he avoided a loss as the Dodgers turned the game around to win 6-5.
Skubal, the American League Cy Young Award winner in 2024 and 2025, left the Detroit Tigers and joined the Dodgers on the 3rd through a 1-for-3 trade.
Skubal was the final puzzle piece for the Dodgers aiming for a ‘World Series three-peat’, but he hasn’t had luck with wins in his new team.
In his first appearance for the Dodgers on August 5, an away game against the Chicago Cubs, he did his part with 6 innings pitched, 4 hits allowed (1 home run), 2 walks, 6 strikeouts, and 2 runs, but took the loss due to lack of run support.
Six days later, Skubal took the mound at Dodger Stadium and struggled against the Kansas City lineup.
Skubal gave up the first run in the top of the first inning after allowing two hits, and then in the top of the third with two outs and a runner on second, he made a mistake pitch and allowed a two-run home run to Jack Caglion. His 91.5 mph slider (147.3 km/h) on the fifth pitch in a favorable 0-2 count went right down the middle.
Skubal also faltered in the top of the 5th, issuing two walks after two outs, but he managed to strike out Caglion swinging in their rematch.
However, in this game, the Dodgers’ batting lineup helped Skubal.
The Dodgers scored two runs in the bottom of the 3rd with Shohei Ohtani ‘s RBI double and Freddie Freeman’s RBI single.
In the bottom of the 6th with two outs and bases loaded, Max Muncy hit a bases-clearing double to turn the game around.
In the top of the 7th, the third pitcher Jack Dryer gave up a game-tying two-run homer to Kyle Isbel, but the Dodgers immediately scored the winning run in the bottom of the 7th thanks to the efforts of Shohei Ohtani and Freeman.
Shohei Ohtani , leading off, got on base with a hit and then successfully stole second base. Freeman followed with a timely hit between the first and second basemen, bringing Shohei Ohtani home.
Dodgers’ closer Edwin Diaz came in for relief in the top of the 9th and pitched a scoreless inning to secure the 6-5 victory.
The Dodgers, securing their 71st win (48 losses) of the season, firmly held onto their lead in the National League West division.