ATLANTA — Tarik Skubal can give free rein to his emotions on Saturday and Sunday, but he has a job to do Friday.
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“I’m sure it will be emotional there just because of the history,” said Skubal, who will start for the Dodgers on Friday night at Comerica Park against his former team, the Detroit Tigers. “But at the end of the day, I’ve got to go play baseball. I’ve got to compete and do what I do well, what makes me a good pitcher. I’ll probably handle the emotions after.
“We’ll see, right? That whole process was emotional. I have a lot of respect for those guys over there. I’m just going to go play baseball.”
With a trade imminent, Skubal received standing ovations during his final start for the Tigers on July 31 at Comerica Park – first when he reached 1,000 career strikeouts then when he left the game after taking a shutout into the seventh inning. A similar reception is likely when the two-time Cy Young Award winner takes the field on Friday.
“I think it’ll be a lot of gratitude, a lot of people that are cheering him on,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of his expectation. “Obviously this is something that was not his doing. He did a lot of good things for the city of Detroit. And his best friends are still on that ball club, self-admitted.
“So I hope they do the festivities the night after we win on Friday. So the emotion doesn’t get to him and he can just kind of enjoy the welcome back.”
When his trade to the Dodgers became official, Skubal got choked up speaking about the teammates he would be leaving behind in Detroit.
“I’m telling you, man, I’m really close with all those guys,” he said Wednesday in Atlanta. “That environment over there, everyone was together always. … I’m sure I’ll say ‘Hi’ to all of them over the next couple days, be able to catch up and talk about what’s going on.”
Skubal also has plans with his new teammates. He has arranged to host a team dinner on Saturday night at a restaurant in the Detroit area. Roberts praised the way Skubal has quickly integrated himself into the Dodgers’ group.
“I think that whole ‘Be where your feet are’ adage, I think that’s just who he is,” Roberts said. “Some people have a hard time letting go. But I think that Tarik is a guy that, wherever he’s at, he’s all-in. And he’s gonna try to engage guys and immerse himself with coaches, with his teammates, the best he can. And that’s a good trait.”
More change could be ahead for Skubal, who will reach free agency following this season. He already made headlines on that front during an interview on the “Pardon My Take” podcast during which he said “I would love to play my whole career in Detroit. I would love to and hopefully those negotiations can pick back up in November once the playoffs are done.”
Skubal said those comments were pulled from a broader discussion about the ability of small-market teams to retain their stars.
“I think in the context of that podcast they were saying that small-market teams don’t get to keep their players and I don’t agree with that,” said Skubal, a member of the players’ union’s executive subcommittee.
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“I just don’t believe that narrative. … Any team can retain talent if they’re proactive about that.”
MAKING PROGRESS
On the injured list, Justin Wrobleski and Edwin Diaz still made the trip to Atlanta with the team and have progressed toward returning. Wrobleski faced hitters in live batting practice, throwing approximately 25 pitches on Wednesday. Diaz threw another bullpen session on Tuesday.
Wrobleski’s next step will likely be to join Triple-A Oklahoma City on a rehab assignment later this week and then be ready to come off the IL next week.
Diaz will also go on a rehab assignment before he returns. He has been working on his mechanics during his bullpen sessions after his arm slot changed significantly in his return from elbow surgery.
“I think they’re just trying to get him mechanically in the right spot – arm height, the slider, get that to where it’s been, where it needs to be,” Roberts said. “But I think physically, mentally he’s in a good spot.”
Diaz had a 10.80 ERA in three appearances with OKC on his rehab assignment following surgery. Roberts would like to see some success against minor-league hitters this time around.
“I think it’s important. I do,” Roberts said. “With all the information we have, I really truly do believe hitters tell you. When you go out there and face good hitters, they’ll tell you how your stuff plays. For me, that’s most important.”
Roberts has already said Diaz will not return to the closer role when he is activated in September. Diaz will get more “softer landing” outings at first.
OHTANI PLAN
Shohei Ohtani threw on flat ground before Wednesday’s game and is expected to throw a bullpen session on Friday. That would be right in line with his usual pitching schedule for a start on Sunday.
“Right now, I don’t think anyone knows how any day looks until after he throws that bullpen on Friday,” Roberts said, saying both Sunday and Tuesday (the Dodgers are off on Monday) are possibilities for Ohtani to pitch an inning.
Roberts said Tyler Glasnow will pitch on Sunday either way. If Ohtani pitches an inning, Glasnow will follow him. If Ohtani doesn’t pitch on Sunday, Glasnow will start on four days of rest. Eric Lauer will be available out of the bullpen in either case.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 12-7, 2.61 ERA) at Braves (LHP Chris Sale, 12-9, 2.20 ERA), Thursday, 4:15 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA, Fox Sports 1, 570 AM
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