Tarik Skubal Allows Two Runs in Dodgers Debut, Takes Loss to Cubs
Tarik Skubal pitched six innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers, surrendering two runs on four hits and six strikeouts in a 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs, and addressed criticism of the trade that brought him to Los Angeles.
Tarik Skubal made his first start for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, delivering six innings of work against the Chicago Cubs. He recorded six strikeouts, allowed two runs on four hits and two walks, and was removed after 85 pitches before the bottom of the seventh. The Dodgers were defeated 5-1, and Skubal was charged with the loss.
The decisive moment came in the bottom of the sixth when Skubal walked Seiya Suzuki and yielded a deep fly ball to right field that was misplayed, resulting in a double. A subsequent grounder led to a runner being thrown out at home, but Alex Bregman later scored on a short chopper, giving the Cubs a 2-1 lead they maintained for the remainder of the game.
"Every team could trade for me," Skubal told reporters on Monday. "You know, every team could make that acquisition. I don't really sympathize with people that blame the Dodgers for anything they've done. It's a winning organization. Now the complaints seem to be because they've won the last two World Series. I don't think it was like that three years ago."
The trade that sent Skubal to Los Angeles had drawn criticism from fans of other clubs, who expressed frustration over the Dodgers' frequent acquisition of high-profile players through trades and free agency.