Dodgers go all in, Yankees come up short as MLB trade deadline passes
Bob Nightengale breaks down why the Dodgers won the MLB trade deadline after landing Tarik Skubal, plus other winners and losers.
Sports Pulse
CHICAGO — Seeking their third consecutive World Series title, the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, Aug. 4, for the highly-anticipated debut of trade deadline acquisition Tarik Skubal.
Skubal, who won back-to-back Cy Young awards with the Detroit Tigers, is a free agent at the end of the season and joined Los Angeles in a blockbuster deal that further solidifies the club as World Series favorite again.
“They’ve been a pretty good baseball team without me,” Skubal told reporters. “So I’m going to show up and kind of be a chameleon in a sense and fit right in with these guys and just gel with them.
“They’ve got the winning recipe. They know what it takes to win. I don’t. I’m going to lean on these guys, let them guide me and lead me.”
Follow for the latest updates at Skubal’s Dodgers debut on Tuesday live from Wrigley Field:
How to watch Dodgers vs Cubs game
- Date: Tuesday, Aug. 4
- Where: Wrigley Field
- Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
- TV: TBS, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), Marquee Sports Network (Chicago)
Cubs fans in attendance at Wrigley Field tonight saved their loudest jeers for new Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal. He was jeered jogging out to the bullpen about 45 minutes before opening pitch is scheduled for Game 2 of this three-game set between the Cubs and Dodgers. Then, during lineup introductions, Skubal received the loudest boos of any player announced on Tuesday night.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts isn’t minimizing the magnitude of Tarik Skubal’s first start since being traded by the Detroit Tigers to Los Angeles at the MLB trade deadline last week.
“Tarik Skubal making a start for the Dodgers is a big deal for baseball,” Roberts declared during his pre-game availability with reporters.
This will also be Skubal’s first time pitching at Wrigley Field, and Roberts is excited to see how the Dodgers respond behind him. The setting will add to the intrigue as fans get their first glimpse at how good this Los Angeles rotation could be now with a two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner on the mound.
“The energy here is incredible. Last night was great. Tonight is going to be even better,” Roberts said. “And I think, speaking for Tarik, he just wants to get this first one out of the way.”
Tarik Skubal makes his Dodgers debut Tuesday, Aug. 4 at 8:05 p.m. ET (5:05 p.m. PT).
- Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF
- Seiya Suzuki (R) RF
- Alex Bregman (R) DH
- Michael Busch (L) 1B
- Nico Hoerner (R) 2B
- Tyrone Taylor (R) LF
- Dansby Swanson (R) SS
- Pedro Ramirez (L/R) 3B
- Miguel Amaya (R) C
- Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
- Andy Pages (R) CF
- Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
- Max Muncy (L) 3B
- Mookie Betts (R) SS
- Kyle Tucker (L) RF
- Teoscar Hernández (R) LF
- Tommy Edman (S) 2B
- Ben Rortvedt (L) C
- 2026: 7–5, 2.79 ERA, 16 GS, 96⅔ IP, 116 SO, 0.91 WHIP
- 2025: 13–6, 2.21 ERA, 31 GS, 195⅓ IP, 241 SO, 0.89 WHIP, AL Cy Young Award
- 2024: 18–4, 2.39 ERA, 31 GS, 192 IP, 228 SO, 0.92 WHIP, AL Triple Crown & Cy Young Award
- 2023: 7–3, 2.80 ERA, 15 GS, 80⅓ IP, 102 SO, 0.90 WHIP
- 2022: 7–8, 3.52 ERA, 21 GS, 117⅔ IP, 117 SO, 1.16 WHIP
- 2021: 8–12, 4.34 ERA, 31 G (29 GS), 149⅓ IP, 164 SO, 1.26 WHIP
- 2020: 1–4, 5.63 ERA, 8 G (7 GS), 32 IP, 37 SO, 1.22 WHIP
Skubal is eligible for free agency at the conclusion of the 2026 season and will be one the most sought-after player on the market. Turning 30 this offseason, Skubal is likely to break Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s $325 million record contract for a pitcher.
Tarik Skubal draft and college
Tarik Skubal played college baseball for the Seattle University Redhawks, earning Freshman All-American honors in 2015 before undergoing Tommy John surgery during his sophomore year in 2016.
Despite missing the 2017 season while recovering, he was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 29th round of the 2017 MLB Draft but chose to return to school. He was ultimately selected by the Detroit Tigers in the ninth round (255th overall) of the 2018 MLB draft and signed for a $350,000 bonus.
Tarik Skubal age
Tarik Skubal is 29 years old and turns 30 on November 20.
He made his MLB debut in 2020 as a 23-year-old.
