In a game at Comerica Park in Detroit, Los Angeles Dodgers player Tarik Skubal faced cheers and boos from fans in a game against his former team, the Detroit Tigers. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
When the visitors' lineup and Skubal's name were shown on the videoboard before the first pitch, most of the crowd clapped, while some jeered. The Tigers showed a video montage from his seven-season career with the team and posted a message at the end: Thank you, Tarik.
Skubal did not appear to react to the tribute. As he walked from the bullpen, many fans stood. Some young fans wore white Tigers jerseys with 29 and Skubal on the back, and blue Dodgers hats.
When Skubal jogged to the mound, booing was heard first, followed by more cheers. His first pitch was delayed because he appeared to have trouble with his communication device.
After a 96-mph fastball for a ball, Gleyber Torres hit Skubal's second pitch to center for a double, and the crowd roared. Skubal then struck out Hao-Yu Lee and All-Star Kevin McGonigle, and got All-Star Dillon Dingler to fly out.
"It's weird to see him on the other side," McGonigle said before the game. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said familiarity might not help: "If anybody knows him, it's us. You can know everything about a pitcher, that doesn't make it easy to hit."
The 29-year-old Skubal was drafted by Detroit out of Seattle University in the ninth round of the 2018 draft and spent his entire career with the Tigers until they traded him earlier this month. In July, Skubal said he preferred to finish the season with the Tigers and compete for a World Series title, which the franchise hasn't won since 1984. But the Tigers thought it wise to trade him before the deadline to acquire three minor league prospects instead of likely losing him in free agency.