Throughout the saga that has been Tarik Skubal's trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two-time Cy Young winner has made clear his affinity for his now-former team.

The 29-year-old spent the first six-and-a-half seasons of his Major League career with the Detroit Tigers, and said on Barstool's Pardon My Take podcast that he would love to return to the Tigers after playing out his contract in Los Angeles, which expires after the 2026 season.

However, before any type of homecoming is made permanent, Skubal will get the chance to visit Detroit briefly later this season.

In the last series of the month, from Aug. 28-30, Skubal and the Dodgers will travel east to face the Tigers. Skubal's positioning in the starting rotation gives him a good chance at starting one of the three games in Detroit.

“I don’t know what to expect or if I’m going to start there,” Skubal told The California Post. “I’m sure it’ll be emotional. I’m sure it’ll be a ton of fun, too, because I love all those guys. I’ve been competing with them for so long, it’ll be new to compete against them. Baseball’s the game. You gotta keep the game the game, and I look forward to it no matter how it spins out.”

In what would be his first time facing the Tigers as a visitor, Skubal said he was hoping those in Detroit knew how much he appreciated their support.

“I think what happened is just the business of baseball,” he said. “If anything, I’ve hopefully made myself clear that I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Detroit. I’ve said that multiple times.”

The Dodgers and Tigers have been on two completely different trajectories since the news broke of the trade between the two teams.

The Tigers have been able to stay alive in the weak American League wild-card race, currently tied for the third and final spot.

The Dodgers, on the other hand, have struggled since the trade, especially against good teams.

Skubal has made three starts since the trade, and has gotten better each time out. Overall, he's pitched 17 innings, accruing a 3.18 ERA with 19 strikeouts.

He'll likely make one more start before being on line to pitch in Detroit. That could end up being an important game for both teams, and an emotional homecoming for Skubal.

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