Tarik Skubal will pitch at Dodger Stadium as a Dodger for the first time Monday evening as the team faces the Kansas City Royals to begin a seven-game homestand after a road trip with five losses in six games.
The Dodgers lost to the Chicago Cubs, 5-1, Tuesday at Wrigley Field in Skubal’s Dodger debut, as he allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, with six strikeouts and two walks.
“It felt like my major league debut, kind of same type of vibe in terms of the nerves running through,” the 2024 and 2025 American League Cy Young Award winner said. “I think my stuff was plenty good. I felt like I commanded everything really well.”
Skubal has a career-high nine losses against the Royals, but earned his fifth victory against them in his most recent appearance, with a season-high 12 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings, also a season-high, in the Detroit Tigers’ 2-1 victory, July 24 in Detroit.
Skubal has pitched once before at Dodger Stadium in the Dodgers’ 2025 home opener, allowing four runs and six hits in five innings and being charged with the loss in the Dodgers’ 5-4 victory March 27, 2025.
The Dodgers announced Aug. 2 they had acquired the 29-year-old left-hander from the Tigers in exchange for three minor leaguers — pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith and outfielder Zyhir Hope.
Left-hander Noah Cameron (6-8) is scheduled to start for the Royals. He will be making his second appearance against the Dodgers. He was charged with the loss in a 5-4 loss June 27, 2025, at Kauffman Stadium, allowing five runs and three hits in four innings.
Cameron was removed from the game after allowing an RBI triple to Shohei Ohtani that tied the score, 4-4. Mookie Betts hit the first pitch from reliever Steven Cruz for a single, driving in Ohtani for what proved to be the winning run.
Ohtani hit a 1-2 changeup from Cameron an estimated 429 feet over the right center field fence leading off. Ohtani walked on five pitches in his second plate appearance.
The Dodgers (70-48) enter Monday’s play with four games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (74-44) in the race for Major League Baseball’s best record. They also trail the Atlanta Braves (71-47) by one game in the race for the National League’s second postseason bye.
Kansas City (49-70) has MLB’s fourth-worst record and has allowed the fourth-most runs, 602.
ESPN Analytics’ Matchup Predictor gives the Dodgers a 78.8% chance of winning and the Royals a 21.2% chance.
The first 40,000 fans will receive a Max Muncy “Game 7 Home Run” bobblehead. Members of Muncy’s family will throw the ceremonial first pitch and make the announcement that precedes every Dodger at Dodger Stadium, “It’s time for Dodger baseball.”
The 7:10 p.m. game will be televised by SportsNet LA.