Skubal's Dodgers Debut Ends in 5-1 Loss to Cubs
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- Tarik Skubal made his Dodgers debut Tuesday, pitching six innings with two runs, four hits, and six strikeouts in a 5-1 loss to the Cubs, his first start since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers
- Skubal landed only 51 strikes on 85 pitches — a 60% strike rate, the lowest of any of his starts over the past three seasons — though manager Dave Roberts and Cubs skipper Craig Counsell both praised his stuff
- Roberts pulled Skubal after 85 pitches despite the pitcher saying he had more in the tank, choosing to protect an elbow that already cost him time with an injury earlier this season
- The Dodgers dropped their fifth straight game and second in a row to the Cubs, but still lead their division by nine games, though they have fallen behind the Milwaukee Brewers for baseball's best record
- Dansby Swanson hit a home run off a Skubal fastball that caught too much of the plate, and Alex Bregman doubled off the right-field wall in the sixth to drive in the Cubs' second run
- Blake Snell (3⅔ innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City) and Tyler Glasnow (2⅓ innings for Single-A Ontario) both returned to the mound in rehab starts Tuesday, with more rotation help on the way
Why it matters: The Dodgers are managing Skubal's workload conservatively — pulling him at 85 pitches in his debut — because his elbow already cost him time this season and his arm is central to a third straight championship push. The five-game skid is real, but a nine-game division lead and imminent returns of Snell and Glasnow give Los Angeles room to be patient with their new ace.
