By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
It was a week of both excitement and frustration for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The good news came at the trade deadline, when the Dodgers landed two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal in a blockbuster deal with the Detroit Tigers. To acquire one of baseball’s premier left-handed pitchers, Los Angeles sent three highly regarded prospects to Detroit: outfielder Zyhir Hope, ranked No. 25 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list; right-hander River Ryan, ranked No. 68; and right-hander Brady Smith, the Dodgers’ No. 17 prospect before the trade.
The move reinforced the organization’s commitment to winning now, but Skubal’s arrival was not enough to halt the Dodgers’ recent struggles.
The Chicago Cubs spoiled Skubal’s Dodgers debut at Wrigley Field, defeating Los Angeles 5-1 and handing the reigning Cy Young winner his first loss in a Dodgers uniform. The Cubs have been one of baseball’s hottest teams, winning 31 of their last 46 games and sitting comfortably atop the National League wild-card standings.
For the Dodgers, the defeat marked a season-high fifth consecutive loss. Los Angeles has gone 8-12 over its last 20 games, a rare slump for one of baseball’s elite teams.
Despite the skid, the Dodgers remain comfortably in first place in the National League West with a nine-game lead. Recent history also suggests there is little reason to panic. Last season, Los Angeles endured a seven-game losing streak in July and went 22-32 over a 54-game stretch before rebounding. The club also experienced a 10-14 stretch during the middle of the season and another rough patch in September before regrouping.
“There just aren’t that many star-level players in the game, and any time one is available, we’re always going to participate in those conversations,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “We’ve traded a lot of really talented young players, but we’re able to be in those conversations because of the incredible work by our scouts, our front office and our player development group that has our farm system in such a strong spot to be able to talk to any team basically about any player.”
Manager Dave Roberts said the key is moving on quickly.
“I think that you just got to kind of reset,” Roberts said after Tuesday’s loss. “Flush it, find a way to win a game, and not let it just compound. But it never feels good to lose. My focus right now is just forget about these last five games and be ready for tomorrow.”
Veteran shortstop Mookie Betts echoed that message.
“It’s a long season. Just a rut. We’re going to be OK,” Betts said. “I just know I’ve got to be better. I can’t speak for anyone else.”
The Dodgers are hoping Skubal’s addition will strengthen an already talented rotation and provide the boost needed as the club looks to put its recent struggles behind it and continue its march toward another postseason appearance.