The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Comerica Park to face the Detroit Tigers on Friday, August 28, 2026, with first pitch set for 6:40 PM ET. This regular-season road matchup puts one of baseball's most dangerous lineups — led by Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts — against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, a left-hander who has established himself as one of the most formidable starters in the American League. Detroit counters with Drew Anderson on the mound. The game airs on SportsNet LA and Dodgers Radio AM570 for the LA faithful.

Starting Pitchers: Skubal vs. Anderson

Tarik Skubal is the central story here for the Dodgers. The Tigers' lefty is a genuine frontline starter, the kind of arm that demands respect from any lineup in baseball. The Dodgers will need to be patient, work counts, and avoid chasing the pitches that make Skubal so difficult to square up. For a lineup built on quality at-bats, this is the kind of challenge that reveals character.

Drew Anderson takes the ball for Detroit. The matchup on the mound is lopsided on paper, and the Dodgers' offense should treat Anderson as an opportunity to get into the bullpen early. Making Anderson work deep into counts and putting runs on the board before Detroit's relievers arrive is the blueprint Los Angeles will want to follow.

Dodgers Lineup to Watch

• Shohei Ohtani (DH, leadoff): The most compelling player in the sport hits first for Los Angeles. Getting Ohtani going early against Skubal could set the entire tone.
• Freddie Freeman (1B, No. 2): Freeman in the two-hole gives the Dodgers elite on-base presence right behind Ohtani. A dangerous combination for any starter to navigate.
• Mookie Betts (SS, No. 3): Betts slots into the three-hole with his typical blend of on-base skill and power threat.
• Kyle Tucker (RF, No. 6): Tucker in the middle of the order adds another legitimate power bat that Skubal cannot lose track of.
• Tommy Edman (2B, No. 5): Edman's speed and contact ability give the Dodgers another dimension in the middle of the order.

Detroit Lineup Keys

The Tigers counter with a lineup that includes Gleyber Torres leading off at second base and a young core featuring Max Clark in center field and Kevin McGonigle at shortstop. Dillon Dingler handles the catching duties and bats cleanup. Javier Báez rounds out the order in left field. The Dodgers' pitching side — particularly whoever comes out of the bullpen — will need to contain the middle of the order around Dingler and Eduardo Valencia.

Keys to the Game

• Getting runners on base early against Skubal before his rhythm is fully established.
• Limiting walks and avoiding big innings against a Tigers lineup that can string hits together.
• Forcing Anderson out of the game quickly to expose a Detroit bullpen that Ohtani, Freeman, and Betts can feast on.
• Keeping the lineup disciplined — Skubal lives on weak contact and strikeouts, and undisciplined at-bats will play right into his hands.

Prediction

Skubal makes this a genuine pitching challenge, and any game he starts deserves to be treated with caution. But the Dodgers' lineup — Ohtani through Tucker — is deep enough and talented enough to manufacture runs against anyone. Anderson's presence on the other side of the equation tilts the equation back toward Los Angeles. Expect a low-scoring first few innings while Skubal is locked in, followed by the Dodgers' offense grinding out enough to pull away late. Dodgers 4, Tigers 2.