Dodgers superstar Tarik Skubal gets 100% real after making start vs. Tigers in Detroit

Los Angeles Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal returned to Comerica Park on Friday to face the Detroit Tigers for the first time. It marked his 78th career appearance at the ballpark and his first there as a visitor.

The start came less than a month before Detroit agreed to trade Skubal to Los Angeles on August 1. The back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner had spent his entire professional career in the Tigers organization after the club drafted him in 2018.

Skubal allowed one run on four hits across six innings in the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory. He struck out seven, issued no walks, and threw 83 pitches as Los Angeles ended a three-game losing streak.

SportsNet LA shared a video Saturday on its official X account, formerly Twitter, from Skubal’s postgame interview after his return.

“We’ll have a relationship for the rest of my life.”

Tarik Skubal reflects on last night's return to Detroit:

"We'll have a relationship for the rest of my life." pic.twitter.com/1WmGeJR32k

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 29, 2026

The southpaw made the remark while discussing Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter, who pushed him, simplified the game, and strengthened his confidence. Their families became close during Skubal’s time in Detroit, adding another personal dimension to his departure.

A pregame tribute video brought Skubal to tears before he took the familiar mound in a visiting uniform. He had expected to treat the outing like a normal start, but the return carried more emotion than he anticipated.

After the game, Skubal went home, ate a burger with his wife, and spent time with his son before going to sleep. The quiet routine helped him process the night. The families later looked through photographs of their sons together.

Miguel Rojas tied the game with a pinch-hit RBI single in the sixth inning before Freddie Freeman delivered the go-ahead single in the eighth. Detroit acquired outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith in exchange for Skubal. Although the trade separated Skubal from the organization that developed him, his comments showed that the relationships he formed with the Tigers remain intact.

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