Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal became emotional during pregame ceremonies on his first visit to Detroit since being traded away in August, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. A video montage honoring his time with the Tigers played on the scoreboard as he walked from the bullpen, prompting him to watch and shed tears before the start.
Skubal settled in to throw six innings, allowing one run on limited pitches in the Dodgers' 2-1 victory. He struck out six batters and retired 12 in a row at one point before being removed after 83 pitches as the Tigers began making harder contact.
The outing helped the Dodgers halt a three-game losing streak. Skubal, who had captured back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards with Detroit, was acquired for a package that included outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-hander River Ryan.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted Skubal wanted to continue but was pulled for strategic reasons. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch described the matchup as completely foreign and weird given the quick turnaround since the trade.
Skubal acknowledged the mixed crowd reaction, interpreting cheers despite some boos, and said he tried to keep the focus on baseball. Teammate Freddie Freeman observed that Skubal remained talkative between innings and had given his all to the Tigers organization.
Skubal improved to 8-7 with a 2.84 ERA for the season. Roberts indicated the return marked the final emotional hurdle, allowing the pitcher to concentrate on the remainder of the campaign.
This report is based on coverage by ABC7 Los Angeles: https://abc7.com/post/dodgers-tarik-skubal-shed-tears-pitching-detroit-1st-time-tigers-traded/19755859/