Fresh off a blockbuster trade, Tarik Skubal is scheduled to replace Eric Lauer in the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation.
Less than 24 hours after pulling off a blockbuster trade for Tarik Skubal, the Los Angeles Dodgers have announced when they plan to slot him into the starting rotation.
ESPN's Jesse Rogers broke the news that Tuesday, Aug. 4, is the scheduled start date for Skubal.
Should that be the case, it'll come in game two of a six-game road trip for the Dodgers. Wrigley Field would get to see Skubal's first start with a team that's looking to pull off a three-peat.
For what it's worth, Eric Lauer was originally scheduled to start against the Chicago Cubs that night. It's unknown if the Dodgers plan to trade Lauer before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, or if they'll just move him to the bullpen.
Skubal scheduled to replace Lauer
As expected, Lauer is the odd man out in this Dodgers' rotation. It's an incredibly stacked set of starting pitchers, and even with how good Lauer has been this season, there's simply no more room for him.
Skubal last pitched on Wednesday, July 29, so this would give him a standard five days of rest before making his next scheduled start. Obviously, plans can change, and it'll ultimately come down to how he's feeling and if LA makes any other moves in the next 48 hours.
For now though, all eyes are on a potential August 4 Dodgers debut for Skubal. If all goes according to plan, that would allow him to make his Dodger Stadium debut during the team's August 10-16 homestand, likely in the team's series opener on Monday, Aug. 10, against the Kansas City Royals.
Skubal set to make first start not in a Tigers uniform
The 29-year-old has played exclusively for the Detroit Tigers, so it's going to be quite an adjustment seeing him in a new uniform. That said, he is a California native, so in a weird way this has been a long time coming.
Skubal hasn't started against the Cubs yet this season. The last time he faced them was on June 6, 2025. That game was in Detroit, and it's one that saw him allow just one earned run in 7.2 innings of work.
Somehow, the Dodgers rotation continues to get stronger. Skubal dominated the Cubs the last time he faced them, so it'll be interesting to see how things go just over a year later.
Skubal is coming off a 6.2-inning start against the Baltimore Orioles, where he allowed three earned runs. He has a 7-5 record this season with a 2.79 ERA and 0.91 WHIP.
