3 Tarik Skubal bold predictions for Dodgers debut vs. Cubs

The Los Angeles Dodgers were busy at the MLB Trade Deadline. The biggest move the Dodgers made was acquiring Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. On Tuesday night, Skubal will be making his first start as a member of the Dodgers, facing the Chicago Cubs.

Skubal last pitched against the Cubs on June 6 of last season, going 7.2 innings and striking out six batters in a winning effort. Overall, he has faced the Cubs three times in his career, going 1-1 with a 4.12 ERA and 18 strikeouts across 19.2 innings of work. All three of those games were at Comerica Park, though, and Skubal has yet to pitch at Wrigley Field.

The two-time American League Cy Young winner will take to the mound in the bottom of the first inning in Chicago, and expect a massive game from the flame-thrower.

Skubal starts strong

Skubal does not have a lot of experience against current members of the Chicago Cubs, but does have some. Overall, current members of the Cubs have 50 career at-bats against Skubal. They are just 12-50 with 11 strikeouts, one home run, and three RBIs. Of the 12 hits he has given up, seven of them belong to Alex Bregman, who also has the lone home run against Skubal and all three RBIs.

Skubal has also been great the first time through the order this year. Batters are hitting just .177 against Skubal the first time they face him in a game, with 49 strikeouts. Further, leadoff batters are hitting just .174 against Skubal this year, with 17 strikeouts. Pete Crow-Armstrong is expected to bat leadoff for the Cubs, and he is just one for three against Skubal all-time.  He is also struggling more against left-handed batters this year, hitting just .280 with 43 strikeouts.

The biggest concern for Skubal early in the game will be Bregman. He has the best batting average of any member of the Cubs against Skubal, and is also projected to bat third. Players batting third in the order have had some of the most success against Skubal this year, hitting .284 with four home runs. Bregman is projected to hit third. Regardless, Skubs will be filled with adrenaline and ready for this game. He gets through the first three innings perfectly, striking out multiple batters.

The Cubs experience double-digit strikeouts 

In his last start as a member of the Tigers, Skubal struck out the first batter of the game. He threw a 3-2 changeup to Taylor Ward, then of the Baltimore Orioles, as Skubal recorded his 1,000th career strikeout. Skubal is going to start strong, getting through three innings perfectly. He currently has 116 strikeouts this year, striking out 31 percent of batters this year, and striking out 10.8 batters per nine innings of work.

This year, the Cubs are not hitting well against left-handed pitching. They are striking out 21.3 percent of the time against left-handed pitching, but that has been worse as of late. In the last two weeks, that has ticked up to 26.3 percent.  Ian Happ is striking out 37.7 percent of the time against left-handed pitching, while PCA is at 32.6 percent of the time. Finally, Swanson is striking out 33.9 percent of the time against lefties. All three of them will strikeout atleast once against Skubs in this game.

The Cubs are striking out 8.61 times per game this year, but that has also been higher as of the last week, to over nine strikeouts per game. Skubal has hit just double-digit strikeouts this year. He hits it for a third time this year, striking out ten Cubs.

The Dodgers break their losing streak

The Dodgers have currently lost four straight games. It is tied for the longest losing streak of the season for the team. They were swept over the weekend by the Boston Red Sox, and then fell in the first game against the Chicago Cubs.  In the first loss, the Dodgers used an opener, with Cole Irvin pitching the bulk of the innings, giving up six runs. Then, Yoshinobu Yamamoto started the next game, giving up three runs and taking the loss.

Emmet Sheehan then started the third game of the losing streak, going just 2.2 innings and giving up five runs. Finally, Justin Wrobleski gave up seven runs in 4.1 innings of work. The starting pitching for the Dodgers has been dreadful, but that will not be the case in this game. Skubal is going to be dominant, allowing the Dodgers’ offense to take over.

This year, when the Tigers scored four or more runs in a game that Skubal has started, the Tigers went 8-1. The Dodgers have scored four or more runs in three of the last four games in the losing streak. They also average 5.10 runs per game this season. Skubal is going to get more than four runs of support and will be taking his first win as a member of the Dodgers.

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