CHICAGO – Tarik Skubal was booed during his Los Angeles Dodgers debut on Tuesday night. No big deal, he said.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner actually enjoyed the chilly reception.
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Skubal pitched six effective innings in his first start with Los Angeles, but the Dodgers managed just four hits in a 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs. The ace left-hander was serenaded with boos when he was introduced with the starting lineups and once again when he went out to the mound for his first career appearance at Wrigley Field.
“Whether they’re rooting against you or for you, I love the fans," Skubal said. “This game is about the fans as much as it’s about the players. But the fans create the environment. It's a ton of fun to play in front of crowds like that, even if they’re booing me or whatever it is.”
The 29-year-old Skubal was acquired in a trade with Detroit on Saturday night. The Dodgers are hoping he can play a key role in its third consecutive World Series championship. He went 4-1 with a 1.95 ERA in his last six starts for the Tigers, striking out 50 in 37 innings.
Skubal, who is eligible for free agency after this season, surrendered two runs and four hits in his first start with LA. He struck out six and walked two while throwing 85 pitches, 51 for strikes.
“Tarik's stuff was good. It was good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think that this was the first time I saw him live, but even when it’s not perfect, it’s still pretty dang good.”
Skubal’s arrival cemented the Dodgers’ status as the majors’ most imposing franchise and public enemy No. 1 for fans of other teams. A plane flew over Wrigley hours before his first start with a banner that read “THE DODGERS RUINED BASEBALL,” but the message appeared to be upside down.
“I’m sure that’s not going to be the only, you know, rowdy atmosphere on the road,” Skubal said. “I plan on pitching in front of those atmospheres for the rest of the season. And then obviously when it comes postseason time, I’ll be ready to go.”
Skubal struck out three while retiring his first six batters. He surrendered a leadoff homer to Dansby Swanson on his first pitch of the third, and Chicago put two runners on with two down. But Skubal retired Alex Bregman on a flyball to center fielder Andy Pages, ending the inning.
Skubal allowed a second run on Nico Hoerner's infield chopper with two down in the sixth, giving the Cubs a 2-1 lead.
“I’m glad he’s on our side,” shortstop Mookie Betts said of Skubal. “He did an amazing job tonight.”
The NL West-leading Dodgers backed Skubal with a couple of stellar defensive plays. Pages robbed Seiya Suzuki and Pedro Ramírez with two terrific catches, and Kyle Tucker made a lunging grab on Nico Hoerner's sinking liner to right in the second.
“I mean Pages in center, he covered a ton of ground on all those kind of soft flyballs, and Tuck made some good plays, too,” Skubal said.
Skubal threw to Ben Rortvedt, who was behind the plate a day after he was acquired in a trade with the New York Mets. The Dodgers also activated catcher Hunter Fedducia, who came over in a deal with Tampa Bay on Monday. Eliezer Alfonzo was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City, and fellow catcher Chuckie Robinson was designated for assignment.
Catching depth is an issue for Los Angeles at the moment. Will Smith is working his way back from a neck issue, and Dalton Rushing was placed on the 10-day injured list on Monday with right elbow inflammation.
MRI results revealed a slight UCL tear for Rushing, who won't be able to throw for a few weeks. It's unclear if he'll be able to catch again this season.
Skubal praised Rortvedt's work in the tough spot.
“He’s great back there,” he said. “Called a great game, you know, on the same page all night. What he was trying to do feeds right into what I’m trying to do on the mound."
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