Tarik Skubal Dodgers debut puts Cubs clash in focus
Tarik Skubal is set for his first Dodgers start at Wrigley as Los Angeles tries to halt a four-game losing streak.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
2 min read
Tarik Skubal Dodgers debut night arrives with Los Angeles trying to stop a slide. The left-hander is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, days after CBS Sports reported the Dodgers acquired him from Detroit.
First pitch is listed for 8:05 p.m. ET in the middle game of a three-game series. CBS Sports lists Los Angeles at 69-44 and Chicago at 64-49.
The Dodgers lost Monday's opener 10-5, their fourth consecutive defeat. A loss Tuesday would make it five straight, their longest skid of the season, according to CBS Sports.
What makes Tarik Skubal's Dodgers debut notable?
It will be Skubal's first appearance for Los Angeles and his first start at Wrigley Field. ESPN MLB reporter Jesse Rogers said Skubal had joined his new club on Sunday and was quickly getting acquainted with teammates and coaches ahead of the outing.
CBS Sports lists Skubal at 7-5 with a 2.79 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. The outlet also reported he had allowed three or fewer runs in each of his past six starts with Detroit and won four of his final five decisions there.
Skubal, 29, is due to reach free agency after the season, CBS Sports reported. The Cubs are set to counter with Javier Assad, listed by CBS Sports at 6-1 with a 3.75 ERA.
Chicago rallied from a 3-0 deficit in Monday's game, scoring two runs in each of the first three innings. Michael Busch and Carson Kelly each homered and drove in three runs, while Kevin Alcantara and Seiya Suzuki also went deep, according to CBS Sports.
The betting angle
In its game preview, CBS Sports featured a DraftKings same-game parlay: Cubs alternate +3.5 runs and Dodgers to be the first team to score three runs. The listed price was +138.
That is a betting outlet's recommendation, not a forecast of the result. It backs Los Angeles to strike early while giving Chicago a 3.5-run cushion.
Prices were already inconsistent across the available previews. One CBS Sports listing showed the Dodgers at -198 on the moneyline with a total of nine runs, while another described Los Angeles as a -214 consensus favorite. Betting odds can move before first pitch, so readers should check a current line before making a wager.
The immediate task is less complicated for Los Angeles: hand the ball to its newly acquired starter and avoid a fifth loss in a row.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.