DETROIT -- Tarik Skubal has pitched at Comerica Park more than any other ballpark, having called it home for seven years. He took that familiar mound for the 78th time in his career on Friday night, but for the first time, he wore road grays in Detroit, with another city's name across his chest.
"Warming up in the opposing bullpen, being in the opposite clubhouse, dugout -- all that stuff is going to be different," manager Dave Roberts said. "But once the game starts, it’s baseball."
Just under a month removed from the blockbuster deal that sent him to L.A. ahead of the Trade Deadline, Skubal returned to Detroit to face his former team. Skubal struck out seven without walking a batter and allowed one run on four hits, although he exited with a no-decision after throwing 83 pitches (56 strikes) to complete six innings in the Dodgers' series-opening 2-1 win over the Tigers that snapped a three-game losing streak.
In the aftermath of the trade, Skubal freely expressed his gratitude for the Tigers' organization and the Detroit fans, who saw him blossom into one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, with two AL Cy Young Awards to show for it. His former home crowd mostly returned the affection on Friday, although the reception grew somewhat mixed as the night went on.
Before the game began, the Tigers' faithful greeted their former ace with a standing ovation while a tribute video played on the scoreboard. Skubal was visibly emotional, wiping his eyes as he walked back to the visitors' dugout following pregame warmups.
But when he took the mound, there were plenty of boos -- and perhaps some calls of "Skooooob" -- raining down at Comerica Park. The shift in tone did not seem to faze Skubal. After giving up a ringing double to Gleyber Torres to lead off the bottom of the first inning, he retired his next 12 batters. That streak ended when Eduardo Valencia led off the fifth with a double and came around to score on a two-out triple from Max Clark, but that was the only run Skubal allowed.
There wasn't much that wasn't working for Skubal, but his changeup was especially nasty as he sliced and diced his way through a lineup full of hitters who played behind him this time last month. Tigers hitters whiffed on Skubal's changeup six times, and five of his strikeouts came on the offering.
Not only did Skubal miss bats with the changeup, he could place it right where he wanted it. He punctuated a third inning in which he struck out the side by freezing Torres on a changeup that just grazed the bottom of the zone, skipping off the mound backwards as he watched home-plate umpire Nestor Ceja make the call.
Skubal has gained momentum in each of his five appearances with L.A., having picked up his first win as a Dodger in an 11-strikeout gem one start before his return to Detroit. Back on his former home mound, he dominated like he did in his best days as a Tiger.