Tarik Skubal expected to start for Dodgers in Detroit this weekend

Tarik Skubal is expected to start on the mound for the Dodgers when they visit Detroit this weekend, Jon Morosi reported. Shohei Ohtani is also expected to pitch in the series at Comerica Park, per the report.

The Dodgers are scheduled to open a three-game set in Detroit on Friday, August 28. Skubal is listed as the probable pitcher for that opener, with Drew Anderson listed for the Tigers.

What happened

Morosi reported that both Skubal and Ohtani are expected to start on the mound during the weekend series. The report did not specify which games each pitcher would start or confirm the rotation order beyond Friday's probable assignment.

The weekend series will mark a return to Comerica Park for Ohtani, who spent July 27, 2023, there while with the Angels. On that date, per Morosi, Ohtani pitched a shutout in Game 1 of a doubleheader and hit two home runs in Game 2—a performance Morosi described as one of Ohtani's greatest days in the majors.

Why it matters

The series offers a showcase of the Dodgers' rotation depth at a moment when the club has already secured its playoff position. Skubal will pitch in the ballpark where he spent the early portion of his career with the Tigers, while Ohtani returns to a venue where he delivered one of the signature performances of his Angels tenure.

Los Angeles has used a six-man rotation for much of the season to accommodate its pitching depth and manage workloads. Skubal and Ohtani have formed part of that group, along with Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, giving the club flexibility as it prepares for October.

The report arrives as the Dodgers navigate the final weeks of the regular season with their division lead secure. How the club deploys its starters in Detroit and beyond will signal its priorities heading into the postseason.

Where the club stands

Los Angeles enters the week with an 85-57 record and leads the National League West. The club has won three straight games and holds a division magic number of 10 with three weeks remaining in the regular season.

Before the Detroit series, the Dodgers have two games remaining in Atlanta. Roki Sasaki is the probable pitcher for Wednesday, August 26, against AJ Smith-Shawver, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto is listed for Thursday, August 27, opposite Chris Sale.

The schedule sets up a potential showcase of the Dodgers' rotation depth. Sasaki and Yamamoto are expected to pitch in Atlanta, then Skubal and Ohtani are expected to take the mound in Detroit, with the fifth and sixth starters available for the final game of the series or the following homestand.

What we don't know yet

The report did not confirm which day Ohtani is expected to start or whether he is expected to pitch Saturday or Sunday. Only Friday's probable pitchers have been announced, leaving the rest of the weekend rotation unconfirmed.

It also remains unclear how the Dodgers plan to deploy their rotation beyond this weekend. With the division lead secure and the playoffs approaching, the club may adjust workloads or rest starters as September progresses.

The report did not specify whether Skubal's Friday assignment is final or subject to change based on the Atlanta series or other roster considerations.

What to watch

Friday's opener will draw attention for Skubal's return to Detroit. The left-hander spent the early portion of his career with the Tigers before joining the Dodgers, and his start at Comerica Park will mark his first appearance there in a visiting uniform.

Ohtani's start, whenever it falls, will test his continued progress in his return season on the mound. He has worked deeper into games as the year has progressed, and the Dodgers have managed his innings carefully to preserve him for October.

The series also offers a glimpse of how Los Angeles plans to structure its rotation heading into the final weeks. With four elite starters and a division title all but secured, the club has flexibility to prioritize health and preparation over the regular-season grind.

The Dodgers' rotation decisions in Detroit may also signal how they intend to line up their starters for the postseason. With Sasaki and Yamamoto pitching in Atlanta immediately before the Detroit series, the club is cycling through its top arms in a compressed window, a pattern that could preview October's rotation order.

Detroit, meanwhile, faces a weekend series against two of the most prominent pitchers in the sport. Skubal's return to Comerica Park will carry its own narrative weight, while Ohtani's appearance offers a reminder of his July 2023 doubleheader performance at the same venue.

The Dodgers' trip to Detroit also represents a test of their depth management. With the division lead secure and the magic number at 10, the club can afford to experiment with rotation sequencing and rest days, but it must also keep its starters sharp heading into the playoffs.

How the Dodgers deploy Skubal and Ohtani this weekend, and how deep they work into their starts, will offer clues about the club's priorities for the final weeks. A team with a comfortable lead can afford to be cautious, but it must also maintain rhythm and timing for the pitchers who will carry the October workload.

The series begins Friday at Comerica Park, with Skubal expected to take the mound for the Dodgers and Anderson for the Tigers. The rest of the weekend rotation remains to be announced.