Tarik Skubal says he’d ‘love to’ return to Tigers less than week after trade to Dodgers
By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Aug 8, 2026 11:24 AM ET
The Los Angeles Dodgers paid a premium to get Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline.
Despite looking solid out there, the two-time AL Cy Young winner dropped his debut with his new team, as the Dodgers go through a seven-game losing skid.
However, it seems that he’s just not as happy in Sunny California as reports suggested, or maybe not as happy as he was in Michigan.
In an appearance on “Pardon My Take,” the superstar hurler opened up on how tough it was to leave his former team, even hinting at a potential reunion.
This division BLEW IT at the deadline 😳
Tarik Skubal wants to be back in Detroit
“Once the media gets out of there, you say bye to teammates, and a lot of those guys are my best friends. It’s like a bunch of men and I’m crying,” Skubal said. “I hate crying. I don’t cry a lot. My wife walked down the aisle, and I didn’t cry because I was so nervous. And I’m crying in a clubhouse with a bunch of other grown men saying bye to people and getting everybody a hug. So it’s tough.”
Skubal didn’t stop there. He may have talked a bit too much, stating that he’ll consider a reunion with the Tigers once he hits free agency after the season:
“I would love to play my whole career in Detroit. Hopefully, those negotiations can pick back up in November, once the playoffs are done, and we’ll see where that goes,” added Skubal.
Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time something like this happens, but it probably rubbed some people in Los Angeles the wrong way.
He’s made just one start for his new team, and he’s already talking about leaving.
Also, the Tigers didn’t pay him what he demanded before the season, so it’s hard to believe they’ll do so in free agency.
For now, Skubal is a Dodger, and if they want to keep him in town, they have much more spending power than anybody else in baseball. Still, this definitely wasn’t the start he was looking for
