What Tarik Skubal Wants Tigers Fans to Know Before Dodgers Come to Comerica Park
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The Detroit Tigers made the most significant trade a few days before the MLB Trade Deadline, dealing back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to the back-to-back World Series defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for three prospects.
While many Tigers fans could feel the trade coming, given the underperforming season up until the MLB Trade Deadline, Skubal's significance in Detroit remains. Set to hit free agency at the end of the season, the former ninth-round draft pick hasn't completely shut the door on a reunion with the Motor City.
The Tigers are staying afloat in the American League Wild Card race, yet still sit under .500, whereas Skubal's Dodgers are bound for the playoffs, looking to become the first team since the New York Yankees to win three consecutive World Series titles.
Before the playoffs, the Dodgers will make a stop in Detroit to face the Tigers during their homestand from Aug 28 to 30. This will be Skubal's first return to Detroit since the trade, and he may have the opportunity to pitch at Comerica Park as a visitor for the first time in his career.
Skubal's Message to Tiger Fans
In an exclusive interview with Dylan Hernandez of The California Post, the former Tiger ace spoke on his excitement to return to Detroit, while sending a message to fans who may feel betrayed by the trade to Los Angeles.
“I don’t know what to expect or if I’m going to start there,” Skubal said via Hernandez's article.
“I’m sure it’ll be emotional. I’m sure it’ll be a ton of fun, too, because I love all those guys. I’ve been competing with them for so long; it’ll be new to compete against them. Baseball’s the game. You gotta keep the game the game, and I look forward to it no matter how it spins out.”
Message to the Fans
“I think what happened is just the business of baseball. If anything, I’ve hopefully made myself clear that I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Detroit. I’ve said that multiple times.”
While Skubal's career has taken him elsewhere, he continues to assure Tigers fans that he enjoyed his time with the franchise and that he could never speak ill of it. At the end of the day, baseball is a business, and business took Skubal out of Detroit; it wasn't his decision to be traded.
Similar to when Justin Verlander returned to Comerica Park for the first time following his trade to the Houston Astros, the Tigers and their fans made sure the Detroit legend felt the love and support, even though he was donning different threads.
Whether Skubal gets a start in the three-game series or not, fans in attendance will likely show their appreciation for the man who put the team on his back to help lead them to two straight playoff appearances. And in between those cheers, there will likely be boos, just out of the spirit of competition.
But until then, the Tigers have business to take care of against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, and Tampa Bay Rays.
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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.