Dodgers @ Tigers August 28, 2026: Skubal makes his return to Detroit as Dodgers look to bounce back after getting swept

The Dodgers (80-54) continued their struggles against good teams as they were swept in Atlanta in the last series. Six of their last eight games have been decided by one run including all three games against Atlanta, but unlike the previous Colorado and Pittsburgh series’ their inability to do the little things well cost them this time. They still have the largest division lead in baseball (eight games up on the Padres), but are now three back of Milwaukee for the top seed in the NL and only one game ahead of Atlanta for the 2-seed and the bye. They’ve also lost the head-to-head tiebreakers against both of those teams and the Cubs if it comes to that. Today, the Dodgers kick off their final interleague series of the season with three in Detroit. The Tigers (62-71) have had a disappointing season after their hot stretch carried them into the playoffs last season and got them a game away from the ALCS. They were five games under .500 but only 5.5 games out of the division lead on August 2, when they decided to trade Tarik Skubal (and Casey Mize the following day). They Ewing Theory’d themselves for like a week and a half and got to a game under .500 and 2.5 back of the division lead on August 13, but they’re 2-10 since. The Tigers came to LA to kick off the 2025 season and the Dodgers swept, including beating Skubal on Opening Day.

	3:40 P.M.		Detroit
DH	Ohtani (L)	2B	Torres
1B	Freeman (L)	3B	Lee
SS	Betts	SS	McGonigle (L)
3B	Muncy (L)	C	Dingler
2B	Edman (S)	DH	Valencia
RF	Tucker (L)	RF	Malgeri
CF	Thomas (L)	1B	Torkelson
LF	T. Hernández	CF	Clark (L)
C	Feduccia (L)	LF	Báez
P	Skubal (L)	P	Anderson (R)

Skubal makes his fifth Dodger start and obviously his first career start against the Tigers. Skubal still hasn’t really turned in a TARIK SKUBAL start as a Dodger, but finally showed signs of that last time out against Pittsburgh. The Pirates ambushed Skubal in the first with two singles, a two run triple and an RBI groundout for a three-run first. They also got the first two batters of the second inning on and a bunt put two in scoring position with one out, but Skubal went crazy after that. He struck out the next two batters to escape the jam and only allowed one other baserunner through seven innings finishing the night with 11 strikeouts, the most he’s had as a Dodger. The Dodgers have been pushing him a bit of late, as he’s topped 100 pitches in each of his last two outings after not doing so in his first 18 this season and doing so only three times in 31 starts last season. Today will be his 78th career start at Comerica and his first as a visiting pitcher. He’s allowed a .587 OPS in his career in Detroit and has a 2.67 career ERA in 445 2/3 career innings there.

Drew Anderson makes his seventh start and 45th appearance overall for the Tigers tonight. Anderson spent most of the first few months working out of the bullpen with a couple spot starts here and there and posted a 4.33 ERA in 62 1/3 innings over his first 39 outings. He made his final relief outing on the day they traded Skubal and has been in the rotation since. He’s made four starts since the deadline and has a 3.57 ERA/5.57 FIP in 17 2/3 innings. His first start only lasted 3 2/3 innings/42 pitches as he was working on two days’ rest, but he’s been around 5 innings/70 pitches in his three starts on regular or extra rest. He only allowed one run in his first two starts combined, but has allowed six runs in 10 innings over his last two starts. Anderson spent the last four years pitching in Korea and Japan after pitching 44 1/3 innings in parts of five Major League seasons with the Phillies, White Sox and Rangers. Anderson’s faced the Dodgers once in his career, back in 2018 as a Phillie. He tossed a 1-2-3 seven inning in relief, retiring Alex Verdugo, Kenta Maeda and Joc Pederson in a game that went 16 innings that Enrique Hernandez eventually got charged with the loss in. Normal times.

Chad wrote this yesterday.

I couldn't wait until the morning, so here's my review of the Dodgers' September call-up options for the expanded rosters. I have both depressingly realistic reality and something with a bit more hopium. Discuss. https://t.co/ZvqfUT5TGm https://t.co/Om32cHo7nG pic.twitter.com/lDMcNzv4M8

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 28, 2026

Dave Roberts said bet and rolled out the exact same right-handed lineup they’ve been using.

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Not really any pregame updates, which means someone’s gonna get IL’d like two minutes after I schedule this.

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First pitch is scheduled for 3:40 PM PT and will be on SportsNet LA.