Dodgers' Tarik Skubal Expects An Emotional Reunion Against Tigers Friday

ATLANTA (AP) — Tarik Skubal knows he will feel emotions when he makes his return to Detroit on Friday night to pitch against the Tigers only four weeks after he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers .

Skubal says he hopes to focus on representing the Dodgers instead of dwelling on his memories with the Tigers at Comerica Park.

He acknowledged it may not be easy to keep his emotions in check.

"We'll see, right?" Skubal told SI.com on Wednesday.

"The whole process was emotional.

I have a lot of respect for those guys over there.

I'm just going to go play baseball." Overall this season, Skubal is 8-7 with a 2.91 ERA.

In four starts for the Dodgers since the Aug.

1 trade, Skubal is 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA.

He is coming off his first win for the Dodgers.

The left-hander had 11 strikeouts in seven innings in a 4-3 win over Pittsburgh in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

Skubal, 29, made his major league debut with Detroit in 2020 and had played for no other team before the trade.

The deal sent the two-time defending AL Cy Young winner to the two-time defending World Series champions.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he believes Skubal has the right temperament to handle the emotions which will come with his Detroit homecoming.