This Tigers Hitter May Have the Best Chance to Solve Tarik Skubal
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The day has arrived. The Detroit Tigers will take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game series beginning Friday night at Comerica Park, with former ace Tarik Skubal donning Dodger threads. The former back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner is set to face the team he once called his.
One thing's for certain when it comes to Skubal: he's dominant. Detroit knows all too well how good Skubal can be, but now they have to face the fact that they're the ones tasked with beating him, not helping him.
The former Tiger may have an advantage on the mound, but the offense has one player who could easily get the rest of the team firing on all cylinders against their former brethren.
Keep Eyes on Dillon Dingler
Who better to know the ins and outs of Tarik Skubal than his former catcher, Dillon Dingler? Dingler was Skubal's primary catcher in his 2025 Cy Young campaign, spending hours and innings with him behind the plate.
Earlier this month, the Tigers were on the other end of this exact scenario when the Chicago White Sox came into town with Jake Rogers on their roster. Sure, Rogers might not have gotten a hit, but the White Sox beat Troy Melton, Detroit's best pitcher, because of Rogers' potential influence.
Dingler knows how Skubal likes to attack hitters, how he spins the ball, and the struggles he may have. Once (and probably still is) a friend, Dingler might be the hitter for the Tigers who truly knows how to hit Skubal, regardless of the massive cold streak he's been on for recent weeks.
Nothing would be better for Dingler to get back to his first half-way than doing it against a pitcher that a lot of people believe should have a cakewalk on the mound. In four straight games, Dingler has collected a hit, raising his batting average from .252 to .254. For the month, he's hitting .189.
If Kevin McGonigle or Gleyber Torres, who typically hit ahead of Dingler in the batting lineup, can get on base, Dingler should have a prime opportunity to do some damage. Skubal has acknowledged that the return is bound to be emotional; why not pounce on those emotions at the plate? Use those emotions to your advantage
Dingler and the Tigers will hit the field at 6:40 PM EST, looking to get back into the win column.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.