Tarik Skubal takes the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight, closing out their home series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. This guy has been absolutely dealing in his first month with the team, racking up 37 strikeouts across just 30 innings of work. When a pitcher bursts onto the scene like that, you just know the rest of the league is already taking notice.
Skubal’s Filthy First Month Is Just The Start
Skubal’s numbers in his initial five starts with the Dodgers are just flat-out nasty. We’re talking a rock-solid 3.00 ERA over those 30 innings, showcasing the kind of immediate impact you dream of from a new arm. But it’s the punchouts that really grab you: 37 Ks, giving him a ridiculous 30.6 percent strikeout rate. He’s been efficient too, only walking seven batters and giving up a mere two home runs in that span. Tonight’s a bit of a milestone, actually. It’s his first Dodgers start with Will Smith behind the plate. Yeah, they’ve worked together before, like way back on March 7 at Daikin Park in Houston when Skubal fanned five in three innings against Great Britain, even if he did cough up a solo homer. But this is the big show now, a proper big league start with Smith catching, and it’s gonna be electric.
Cardinals Look To Adjust Their Defense
Across the diamond, the St. Louis Cardinals are sending left-hander Quinn Mathews to the hill. This is only Mathews’ fifth major league start, so he’s still very much proving himself on this stage. It’ll be a real test for him against a Dodgers lineup that’s seen plenty of good pitching. On the defensive side for the Cards, keep an eye on Tommy Edman. He’s moving back to his familiar spot at second base tonight. Edman spent the first few games of this series playing in center field, so this shift back to the infield is a notable adjustment. How that impacts the Cardinals’ defense and their overall game plan against Skubal’s heat will be something to watch.
This Thursday night matchup goes down at Dodger Stadium, with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. Pacific. If you can’t be there in person, you can catch all the action on SportsNet LA, or tune in on the radio via AM 570 for the English broadcast, and KTNQ 1020 AM if you prefer Spanish. It’s all about Skubal trying to build on that insane first month and continue to dominate, while Mathews looks to make his mark for the Cardinals. Don’t miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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