A little under a month ago, the Dodgers added the best pitcher in the sport. The 2026 regular season schedule made it so that even in a short tenure with the reigning champs, Skubal would get to return to Detroit to face his old team. Last weekend felt like an early defining moment for Skubal with the Dodgers, dominating the Pirates with 11 strikeouts to earn his first win in a game that the team needed him to excel in, narrowly outlasting Pittsburgh at home, 4-3.
It’s only fitting that Skubal would
be opposed by a pitcher who, directly or otherwise, has essentially been replacing him in this Tigers rotation that made multiple recent changes, also dealing away Casey Mize to the Padres. The assessment of Anderson—who until only a month ago filled the role of a multi-inning reliever—depends a lot on the level of expectations, coming off back-to-back five-inning starts allowing three runs and keeping Detroit somewhat in the game. More importantly, the Dodgers hitters won’t care about the spacious Comerica Park nor whoever is on their way; they’ll simply be glad not to have to face Chris Sale anymore. At least not until the playoffs roll around.
Regardless of competition, the Dodgers travel to Detroit, having grown accustomed to the dramatic settings of close matchups. Six of the last eight games played by the reigning back-to-back champs have been decided by a single run, this coming against teams of wildly different levels in the Pirates, Rockies, and Braves. Is it a case of playing up or down to your competition, and if so, can the Dodgers leave that behind as they get set for the first of four straight series against teams below .500?
Friday game info
- Teams: Dodgers at Tigers
- Ballpark: Comerica Park, Detroit
- Start time: 3:40 p.m. PT
- TV: SportsNet LA
- Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
