Dodgers vs. Tigers Picks, Predictions & Odds for Tarik Skubal’s Return to Detroit

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers open a three-game series tonight at Comerica Park, where Tarik Skubal will make his first start in Detroit since being traded to Los Angeles earlier this month in a blockbuster deal that shook up the league. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET.

Skubal spent nearly seven seasons with the Tigers since making his major league debut in 2020, developing into one of baseball‘s top pitchers and winning consecutive American League Cy Young Awards in 2024 and 2025. Detroit traded him to Los Angeles on August 2 in exchange for three prospects, setting up his return to Comerica Park less than four weeks later.

The left-hander enters the matchup at 8-7 with a 2.91 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 146 strikeouts against only 21 walks across 120.2 innings. He has made four starts since joining the Dodgers, going 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA and 30 strikeouts over 24 innings.

Skubal earned his first victory with Los Angeles in his latest appearance, allowing three runs and striking out 11 over seven innings in a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. All three runs came during the first inning before he retired 18 of the next 19 batters he faced.

Comerica Park should still feel comfortable. Skubal recorded a 2.67 ERA across 77 career appearances at the ballpark as a member of the Tigers, including 75 starts. Detroit went 47-28 when he started at home.

Los Angeles enters the series at 80-54 with an eight-game lead atop the National League West, but the Dodgers are looking to recover from a difficult trip to Atlanta. They were swept by the Braves in three games, losing by scores of 4-3, 6-5 and 1-0 after arriving on a five-game winning streak.

Detroit has endured a much longer skid. The Tigers have lost seven of their last eight games and 10 of their last 12, falling to 62-71 and 5.5 games behind the final American League Wild Card spot. They scored only five combined runs while losing two of three games against the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this week and have been held to three runs or fewer in six of their last eight.

Drew Anderson will start opposite Skubal after moving from Detroit’s bullpen into the rotation. The right-hander is 4-5 with a 4.09 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 91 strikeouts over 81.1 innings. He has posted a 3.57 ERA across his last four starts, although he has allowed four home runs in 17.2 innings during that stretch.

Dodgers vs. Tigers Odds Today

Skubal and the Dodgers jump out as hefty road favorites in the southpaw’s return to Comerica Park:

• Moneyline: Dodgers (-185), Tigers (+175)
• Run Line: Dodgers -1.5 (-105), Tigers +1.5 (-105)
• Total: Over 7.5 (+105), Under 7.5 (-115)

Hard Rock Bet’s 10¢ Summer Sale is entering its final weekend. Through August 31, players can take advantage of reduced-vig dime lines on all pregame MLB Moneyline, Run Line and Total markets priced between -250 and +250.

Best Bet for Dodgers vs. Tigers

Before placing your bets on Dodgers-Tigers, visit Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook‘s Stats Hub for streaks, trends and other valuable info that can help you make more informed wagers. For tonight’s series opener, we’re backing a low-scoring game at Comerica Park:

Under 7.5 Total Runs (-115): According to Stats Hub, each of the Tigers’ last six games as an underdog has finished Under the total runs line.

Detroit’s recent offensive production provides another reason to follow that trend. The Tigers have scored three runs or fewer in six of their last eight games, including five total runs across their three-game series against Tampa Bay.

That lineup will now face a familiar but difficult opponent in Skubal. The two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner owns a 2.91 ERA and 0.95 WHIP this season, with 146 strikeouts against only 21 walks. He is also coming off an 11-strikeout performance and has recorded a 2.67 career ERA at Comerica Park.

The Dodgers present the greater concern for the Under against Anderson, but their offense was held to eight total runs during this week’s three-game sweep in Atlanta. Los Angeles has averaged only 4.13 runs per game since July 1 after beginning the season as one of baseball’s most productive lineups.

Detroit has also pitched much better than its record suggests. The Tigers own a 3.60 team ERA, while Anderson has limited opponents to three runs across five innings in each of his last two starts.

With Detroit consistently struggling to score and Skubal returning to a ballpark where he has enjoyed considerable success, we’ll take Under 7.5 Total Runs (-115) as our best bet for Friday night.

Dodgers vs. Tigers Betting Splits

Los Angeles is getting the bulk of the action on both the moneyline and the run line ahead of tonight’s first pitch:

• The Dodgers have received 88% of all moneyline tickets and 91.4% of the handle.
• Los Angeles -1.5 has drawn 80.3% of all run line tickets and 94.3% of the handle.
• Over 7.5 accounts for 71.3% of all tickets and 73.5% of the handle.

Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props

Shohei Ohtani occupies the top two spots among tonight’s most popular player props:

1. Shohei Ohtani – Over 0.5 Home Runs
2. Shohei Ohtani – Over 0.5 Hits
3. Freddie Freeman – Over 0.5 Hits
4. Mookie Betts – Over 0.5 Hits
5. Tarik Skubal – Over 5.5 Strikeouts

Dodgers vs. Tigers Game Info

• 📍 Where: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
• 📅 Date: Friday, August 28
• ⏰ First Pitch: 6:40 PM ET
• 📺💻 TV/Streaming: SportsNet LA, Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV
• ⚾ Probable Pitchers:
  • Dodgers: Tarik Skubal (8-7, 2.91 ERA)
  • Tigers: Drew Anderson (4-5, 4.09 ERA)

More Ways to Bet

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