Tigers news: When Tarik Skubal will return to Detroit after Dodgers trade

The Detroit Tigers will not have to wait long to see Tarik Skubal again after trading the two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner to the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday before the Aug 3. MLB trade deadline. Skubal is scheduled to return to Detroit when the Dodgers visit Comerica Park for a three-game series from August 28-30.

Los Angeles acquired Skubal in a blockbuster deal, sending a prospect package headlined by outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handed pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith to the Tigers. The move gave the Dodgers one of the biggest available names on the trade market as they continue their pursuit of a third consecutive World Series championship.

Skubal, 29, was in the middle of another excellent season before being traded. The left-hander owns a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts and 14 walks across 96 2/3 innings in 16 starts. He missed time earlier in the year after undergoing a minimally invasive procedure on May 6 to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow, but returned on June 13 and continued performing at an ace level. His ERA in July was 2.03.

The Tigers will now face Skubal as an opponent after he spent his entire seven-season MLB career in Detroit. During his time with the franchise, he compiled a 61-42 record with a 3.04 ERA. He also reached another level during his Cy Young-winning seasons in 2024 and 2025, combining for a 2.30 ERA, 469 strikeouts and a 31-10 record over 387 1/3 innings.

Skubal’s final start with the Tigers came in a memorable loss against the Baltimore Orioles. He recorded his 1,000th career strikeout while pitching in front of 34,406 fans, but Detroit eventually lost a 7-0 lead and fell 10-9 in 12 innings. The defeat came during a stretch where the Tigers lost four of their final five home games while trying to remain in playoff contention.

Detroit had hoped to compete in 2026 after bolstering the roster with moves including a three-year, $115 million contract for two-time All-Star pitcher Framber Valdez and a $22 million deal to retain infielder Gleyber Torres. However, the Tigers stumbled early, falling 16 games under .500 with around 100 games remaining before improving in June and July.

Los Angeles added Skubal to a rotation dealing with multiple injury concerns. The Dodgers have Shohei Ohtani limited to designated hitter duties because of knee and biceps issues, Tyler Glasnow out with back spasms, Blake Snell recovering after elbow surgery to remove bone chips, and Gavin Stone dealing with an uncertain recovery from a spring shoulder injury.

Skubal is expected to lead a Los Angeles rotation that also features Yoshinobu Yamamoto and other high-profile arms. The left-hander has also been effective in the postseason, carrying a 2.04 ERA with 56 strikeouts and five unintentional walks in 39 2/3 innings across six playoff starts.

Detroit’s return package is led by Hope, who entered the season ranked as the No. 36 prospect in baseball by CBS Sports. The 21-year-old hit .293/.369/.530 with 23 home runs and 18 stolen bases in 94 Double-A games. Ryan, who turns 28 soon, made four MLB starts for the Dodgers in 2024 with a 1.33 ERA before undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2024. Smith, 21, logged a 4.36 ERA with 113 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings this season.

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