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The Dodgers landed a huge name right before the trade deadline and cemented an already impressive pitching rotation by acquiring Tarik Skubal from the Tigers. Detroit not only lost its ace but the espresso machine he purchased for the clubhouse prior to the start of the season, and he placed the blame on his wife while explaining why he absconded with it.
Tarik Skubal was not exactly a highly touted prospect when you consider the Tigers scooped him up in the ninth round of the MLB Draft in 2018. However, they ended up getting a steal based on what unfolded after he secured a spot in their starting rotation and made his MLB debut in 2021.
His first couple of seasons left a lot to be desired, and he grappled with injuries before things started to trend in the right direction in 2023. That momentum carried into the following season, where he finished with an 18-4 record, 2.39 ERA, and 228 strikeouts to secure the Triple Crown while winning what would be the first of back-to-back Cy Young Awards.
His performance also helped the Tigers snap a nine-year playoff drought, and Skubal headed into the 2026 season on a one-year, $32 million contract he got after taking them to arbitration.
There was no guarantee he’d agree to return upon the conclusion of the current campaign, and the team decided to get something in return before the trade deadline after trading him to the Dodgers for three minor league prospects.
That transaction also led to an espresso machine disappearing from the clubhouse at Comerica Park, and Skubal shed some light on why he took it with him to Los Angeles after facing off against his former team for the first time.
Tarik Skubal says his wife made him take the espresso machine he bought for the Tigers to Los Angeles
On Friday, the Dodgers kicked off a three-game series against the Tigers on the road, and Skubal recorded seven strikeouts in the six innings he pitched as Los Angeles secured the 2-1 win.
We were treated to an interesting subplot involving an espresso machine that Skubal and fellow pitcher Casey Mize purchased for the team prior to the start of the season, which vanished from the clubhouse after Skubal was shipped off.
Mize was also traded to the Padres before the deadline, but according to The Athletic, Skubal was the man who took the fancy coffee contraption to the West Coast. He pinned what could be viewed as a petty move on his spouse, saying:
“That was my wife. I wanted to leave it and get a new one, but she wouldn’t let me.
My wife was like, ‘That was too expensive to just run the charge back.’”
There’s no way to know how big of an impact the lack of an espresso machine has had on the Tigers, but they have gone 10-15 since Skubal was traded,