The Los Angeles Dodgers begin their final series before the All-Star break by facing Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers while looking to snap a four-game losing streak.
The Dodgers are coming off being swept by the Philadelphia Phillies during a series in which their pitching faltered and offense mustered just five runs over the three games.
Friday doesn’t provide much of a reprieve for the Dodgers offense as Skubal has been among the sport’s best pitchers this season. He enters 10-3 with a 2.37 ERA and 0.90 WHIP over 18 starts.
Skubal’s success is again fueling trade deadline speculation, and the Dodgers figure to be among the teams with interest as they look to fortify their starting rotation.
Friday’s start is the first of Skubal’s career against the Dodgers. Only Shohei Ohtani (three at-bats), Cavan Biggio (three), Kiké Hernández (two) and Teoscar Hernández (two) have faced the 2024 Tigers All-Star.
Fellow southpaw James Paxton is on the mound for L.A. in what’s his 17th start of the year. Paxton is 7-2 with a 4.24 ERA and looks to provide some length for a taxed Dodgers bullpen.
But that hasn’t been a strong suit for Paxton as he’s logged five innings or fewer in three consecutive starts, and four of the last six.
Walks remain somewhat of a trouble spot for the 35-year-old, who has give out multiple free passes in 10 outings this year. Paxton is a lifetime 3-1 with a 3.13 ERA in seven starts against the Tigers, all coming as a member of the Seattle Mariners.
When Paxton last faced the Tigers on May 19, 2018, he finished with eight strikeouts in a complete game.
The Dodgers are 16-12 all-time against the Tigers, but have gone just 5-6 and have lost six of their last eight at Comerica Park. They won two of three against Detroit at Dodger Stadium last season.
Dodgers lineup
DH: Shohei Ohtani
C: Will Smith
1B: Freddie Freeman
RF: Teoscar Hernández
SS: Miguel Rojas
CF: Andy Pages
3B: Chris Taylor
LF: Miguel Vargas
2B: Kiké Hernández
Tigers lineup
Tigers lineup
2B: Andy Ibáñez
LF: Justyn-Henry Malloy
3B: Matt Vierling
CF: Riley Greene
DH: Mark Canha
C: Jake Rogers
SS: Javier Báez
1B: Gio Urshela
RF: Ryan Vilade
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