CHICAGO -- The Dodgers' play on the field was uninspired in an 8-4 loss on Sunday afternoon in L.A., which sealed a three-game sweep at the hands of the Red Sox. But nevertheless, there was a buzz in the home dugout at Dodger Stadium.
Tarik Skubal had arrived.
The Dodgers' blockbuster deal to acquire the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner -- which was finalized on Saturday night and made official the following morning -- largely overshadowed a disappointing weekend series at home. The glimpse of Skubal donning Dodger blue for the first time and greeting his new teammates and coaches was a spectacle in and of itself.
Anticipation is even higher for Skubal's first appearance as a Dodger, which will come on Tuesday night against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. But the ace left-hander downplayed the impact that he alone could have as the back-to-back champion Dodgers get deeper into their bid for a three-peat.
"I’m not going to sit here and say I’m the big piece," Skubal told reporters in his first media availability since the trade on Monday. "They’ve been a pretty good baseball team without me. So I’m going to show up and kind of be a chameleon in a sense and fit right in with these guys and just gel with them.
"They’ve got the winning recipe. They know what it takes to win. I don’t. I’m going to lean on these guys, let them guide me and lead me."
Those are humble words for a pitcher who set an arbitration record with a $32 million ruling in February and was the hottest commodity on the trade market during Deadline season. Skubal's pure talent was reason enough for the Dodgers to pursue him so aggressively, giving up two of MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects as part of the package for up to three months of his services.
The Dodgers also felt confident that Skubal would be a positive addition to their team culture, which has been key during their back-to-back championship seasons.
"I think the thing is that it's all about winning a championship," manager Dave Roberts said. "And so I don't think every clubhouse can say that. Everything we do is geared around that. … Make no mistake that you're a young player, old player -- the goal is to win a championship, and you gotta be additive. So we don't have the cattiness and the drama. We're about winning."
Trade rumors have long swirled around Skubal, but the Tigers ultimately decided to hold onto him to begin this season. Detroit went into a slide during Skubal's six-week absence due to surgery to remove a loose body from his left elbow, and while the team improved upon his return, the likelihood of him being traded remained high.
Skubal made an emotional final start as a Tiger last Wednesday, throwing 6 2/3 innings of three-run ball in a 10-9 loss in 12 innings, and felt that the writing was on the wall.
"Losing that game kind of felt like that was kind of it for me in Detroit," Skubal said. "So not surprised, but that didn’t make the news any easier because I love a lot of those people there. I’ve got a lot of respect about what they do and how they go about their business. A lot of those guys are like my best friends on and off the field. I wish those guys nothing but the best. I’ll be rooting for them unless we’re playing."
From the moment he found out about the trade on Saturday night, Skubal has been nothing but grateful for his experience in Detroit. At the same time, he's grown excited to experience life as a Dodger, and all that entails.
"When you watch them from across the way, see them do their thing on TV, you just have a lot of respect because they play the game the right way," Skubal said. "The entire focus of this organization is on winning championships, and that is my entire focus playing baseball, so we’re very much aligned. I’m ready to go out there and compete and give this organization and city everything that I’ve got."