Tarik Skubal did not have much time to experience Chavez Ravine after joining the Los Angeles Dodgers. Los Angeles began a six-game road trip shortly after acquiring the two-time American League Cy Young Award winner.

His first home start finally arrived Monday against the Kansas City Royals, and Skubal tried to savor the occasion despite not delivering his best performance.

After struggling to find the strike zone in his Dodgers debut against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 4, Skubal again had difficulty locating his fastball consistently.

The usually dominant left-hander particularly struggled against Jac Caglianone. Kansas City’s 23-year-old slugger drove in the Royals’ first three runs, including a 410-foot, two-run home run in the third inning.

Skubal eventually settled down, and the Dodgers battled back.

Freddie Freeman collected three hits and delivered the game-winning RBI in the seventh inning. Shohei Ohtani recorded two hits and scored the winning run after stealing second base, while Max Muncy delivered a bases-clearing double in the sixth.

Skubal received a no-decision but left Dodger Stadium appreciative of both the 6-5 victory and his first experience pitching there.

The left-hander allowed three runs on four hits (one home run) with six strikeouts and two walks in five innings.

Speaking with SportsNet LA afterward, Skubal acknowledged that he sprayed the ball more than usual and was particularly dissatisfied with his fastball command.

He nevertheless felt he competed well enough to give Los Angeles an opportunity to win. While crediting the offense, defense and bullpen for carrying the Dodgers to a victory despite his performance falling below his personal standard.

“I kind of sprayed the ball a little bit,” Skubal said.

“That’s kind of unusual for me, especially with fastball command and stuff like that. I thought I competed well and gave our team a chance to win. Our offense picked me up big time, defense picked me up big time and the bullpen was outstanding tonight. All in all, good team win, especially when I don’t feel like I performed up to my standard.”

Even during an inconsistent beginning to his Dodgers tenure, the 29-year-old continues producing impressive numbers.

The 2024 Pitching Triple Crown winner owns a 2.93 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 128 strikeouts in 107.2 innings over 18 starts with the Detroit Tigers and Dodgers this season.

Skubal also appreciated the reception from Dodgers fans.

He said that the atmosphere was excellent and described seeing what felt like 40,000 to 50,000 fans already in their seats approximately 40 minutes before the game as something special.

“Great environment,” Skubal noted. “The fans were great…. It felt like there was 40-50,000 {people in their seats} 40 minutes before the game. That stuff is special.”

Skubal offers more than overpowering arsenal. His response to this outing demonstrated the accountability expected from an elite starting pitcher. Rather than being satisfied with escaping without a loss, he immediately identified where his execution fell short.

His competitiveness is equally important. Even without his usual command, Skubal remained composed enough to keep Los Angeles within striking distance instead of allowing one difficult matchup to unravel his outing.

That ability to compete without his best stuff is particularly valuable for a Dodgers team built to play deep into October.

Skubal also carries the confidence of a pitcher who trusts his process. His command, preparation and willingness to evaluate his own performance have helped establish him among MLB’s premier starters.

His next start is expected Sunday in Los Angeles against the Milwaukee Brewers in what could potentially serve as a postseason preview.