Skubal Struggles With Command but Dodgers Win Home Debut

Tarik Skubal didn't meet his own standards in his first home start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he was proud he kept the team in the game long enough for it to rally for a 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

Skubal allowed three runs on four hits over five innings, striking out six but struggling with his fastball command and managing only one 1-2-3 inning. He left trailing 3-2, but the Dodgers' offense — which had lost eight of nine games entering the homestand — came alive after he departed, with Max Muncy's three-run double and Freddie Freeman's RBI single sealing the comeback.

"I thought I competed well and gave our team a chance to win, and our offense picked me up big-time, defense picked me up big-time, and the bullpen was outstanding tonight," Skubal said. "So all in all, a good team win, especially when I don't feel like I performed up to my standard."

Manager Dave Roberts had predicted "an electric night" for the left-hander, and while Skubal didn't dominate, Roberts praised his resilience. "Tarik didn't have his best stuff, but he didn't relent," Roberts said. "He kept going, and he gave us what he had for tonight."

A crowd of 51,799 greeted Skubal with cheers of "Skuuuuuu!" when he was announced in the starting lineup — his first appearance at Dodger Stadium since the team acquired him from Detroit nine days earlier in the biggest trade of the deadline, giving up three prospects for the 29-year-old ace.

Kansas City's Jac Caglianone hit a two-run homer and an RBI single off Skubal, who also walked two batters and hit one. Skubal retired six straight Royals after Caglianone's homer before striking him out to end a fifth inning that included a hit batter and a walk.

Freeman, who drove in the go-ahead run, said having Skubal on the mound is a boost regardless of outing length. "I'm sure he wants to go deeper than five innings, but I like that every five, six days that he's going to be on the mound for us," Freeman said.

Skubal made his Dodgers debut last Tuesday at Wrigley Field, throwing six innings of two-run ball in a loss to the Chicago Cubs. Los Angeles is chasing its third straight World Series title and a 14th consecutive playoff appearance.