The Los Angeles Dodgers send their newest ace to the mound Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, where Tarik Skubal will make his club debut against Javier Assad and the Chicago Cubs. Los Angeles enters at 69-44, with Chicago at 64-49 after the Cubs opened the series with a 10-5 victory powered by four home runs.
Skubal’s debut adds far more weight than a normal August matchup. The Dodgers acquired the reigning two-time American League Cy Young Award winner from Detroit for outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith. Los Angeles paid a premium for a pitcher capable of leading a postseason rotation, and his first assignment comes against a Cubs lineup that punished Dodgers pitching one night earlier.
Los Angeles is a -185 moneyline favorite and -1.5 (-121) on the run line. Chicago returns +167 to win, with the total sitting at nine runs. The market expects Skubal to create a major pitching advantage, but Wrigley Field and Chicago’s right-handed bats keep this from becoming an automatic favorite play.
The Skubal trade strengthened a rotation already built for October and pushed Los Angeles deeper into its Dodgers three-peat chase. Tuesday offers the first look at how that blockbuster addition changes the Dodgers on the field rather than on a futures board.
Dodgers vs Cubs Matchup And Schedule
The Dodgers and Cubs meet Tuesday, August 4, at Wrigley Field. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 PM ET, with TBS, Marquee Sports Network and SportsNet LA carrying the game. The official Dodgers-Cubs preview lists Skubal and Assad as the scheduled starters.
Chicago took control of Monday’s opener after Los Angeles scored three early runs. The Cubs answered with four home runs and finished with a 10-5 win, moving five games closer to the Dodgers in the overall National League standings.
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Venue | TV | Starting Pitchers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs | Tuesday, August 4, 2026 | 8:05 PM | Wrigley Field, Chicago | TBS, MARQ, SNLA | Tarik Skubal vs Javier Assad |
The Dodgers need a cleaner pitching performance after allowing Chicago to erase an early deficit in the series opener. The Cubs face a much harder assignment against Skubal, whose strikeout rate and command place far more pressure on hitters to convert limited mistakes.
Tarik Skubal Makes His Dodgers Debut
Skubal arrives in Los Angeles with a 7-5 record, 2.79 ERA, 116 strikeouts and a 0.91 WHIP across 96⅔ innings this season. He recorded a 2.39 ERA with 228 strikeouts in 2024, then followed it with a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts in 2025. Those consecutive elite seasons made him the centerpiece of the trade deadline.
The Skubal trade announcement confirmed that he would debut against Chicago. He becomes the first reigning Cy Young winner traded during a season since Justin Verlander in 2023.
Skubal gives manager Dave Roberts a left-hander who can attack without relying on favorable contact. His fastball velocity creates late swings at the top of the zone, and his secondary pitches give right-handed hitters little room to sit on one location. His 116 strikeouts against a 0.91 WHIP show how rarely opponents combine contact with free baserunners.
The debut carries one concern: transition. Skubal has moved from Detroit to Chicago in a short window, joined a new catcher and entered a new game-planning system. Raw ability should cover much of that adjustment, but early command may decide whether he settles into a long outing or faces a high pitch count.
Los Angeles does not need eight scoreless innings. Six strong frames would keep the weaker sections of its bullpen away from the heart of Chicago’s lineup and give the offense time to work against Assad.
Javier Assad Gives Chicago A Competitive Counter
Assad enters at 6-1 with a 3.75 ERA, 48 strikeouts and a 1.16 WHIP across 69⅔ innings. He has appeared in 18 games and made nine starts, giving the Cubs experience using him in several roles.
His strikeout total does not match Skubal’s, but Assad succeeds by changing pitch shapes and keeping hitters from sitting on one speed. Baseball Savant tracks seven different pitch types in his 2026 mix, including a four-seam fastball, sinker and curveball.
| Pitcher | Record | ERA | Innings | Strikeouts | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarik Skubal | 7-5 | 2.79 | 96.2 | 116 | 0.91 |
| Javier Assad | 6-1 | 3.75 | 69.2 | 48 | 1.16 |
Assad’s challenge is surviving the top half of Los Angeles’ lineup. Shohei Ohtani owns elite expected-contact numbers, and Mookie Betts remains difficult to strike out. Any traffic ahead of Freddie Freeman or the middle-order power bats can turn one missed sinker into a multi-run inning.
Chicago’s right-hander must avoid long at-bats. Los Angeles can raise pitch counts through patience, then attack the Cubs’ middle relief before Chicago reaches its preferred late-inning options. Assad’s best route is early-count contact on the ground and limited walks.
Dodgers vs Cubs Odds And Betting Lines
Los Angeles is priced as a clear road favorite, reflecting the difference between Skubal and Assad. The run-line price is shorter than the moneyline and offers a more useful return for bettors expecting the Dodgers to turn their pitching advantage into a multi-run win.
| Team | Run Line | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | -1.5 (-121) | -185 | Over 9 (-118) |
| Chicago Cubs | +1.5 (+101) | +167 | Under 9 (-102) |
Odds are subject to change.
The Dodgers moneyline asks bettors to lay $185 to win $100. That price protects against a one-run result, but it leaves limited value in a sport where one defensive mistake or bullpen inning can reverse the outcome.
Los Angeles -1.5 at -121, available across the best offshore sportsbooks, provides a stronger balance between price and matchup. Skubal can limit Chicago’s scoring, and the Dodgers have enough lineup depth to build a lead against Assad or the Cubs’ middle relief.
Chicago +167 is attractive only for bettors willing to challenge Skubal’s immediate adjustment to a new club. The Cubs have home-field value and enter after a convincing win, but the starting-pitching gap makes the upset difficult to support.
Why Dodgers -1.5 Is The Best Bet
The best bet is Los Angeles -1.5 at -121.
Skubal gives the Dodgers their strongest starting-pitcher advantage of the series. His strikeout rate limits balls in play, and his command keeps opponents from creating easy scoring chances through walks. Chicago’s offense can hit left-handed pitching, yet it must generate damage against one of baseball’s best starters.
Assad has delivered a useful season, but his 3.75 ERA and lower strikeout rate create more exposure against Ohtani, Betts, Freeman and the Los Angeles middle order. The Dodgers should receive more opportunities with runners in scoring position across the first six innings.
A one-run Dodgers win remains the main risk. Chicago’s bullpen and home-field setting can keep the game close, especially if Assad works around early traffic. Los Angeles’ lineup depth makes a late insurance run more likely than the market price suggests.
The total at nine offers a secondary under lean. Skubal can keep Chicago near two or three runs, and Assad is capable of preventing an early blowout. The wager becomes vulnerable once both bullpens enter, so the side carries the stronger case.
Final Betting Read For Dodgers vs Cubs
Chicago enters with momentum from a 10-run performance and four home runs. Los Angeles responds with the biggest trade-deadline acquisition in baseball making his debut.
Skubal should reduce the free traffic and mistake pitches that hurt Dodgers pitching Monday. Assad can keep Chicago within range during the early innings, but Los Angeles owns the stronger lineup and the better route to late separation.
Expect Skubal to work through six innings, the Dodgers to score during their second trip through the order and Los Angeles to even the series with a multi-run victory.
Official Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Chicago Cubs 2
MLB Best Bet: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-121)
