Star-studded Dodgers rotation emerging with Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell set for back-to-back home starts

PHOENIX – Light up the Hollywood marquee, because the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star-studded rotation is expected to come together early next week.

Tarik Skubal, the prize of this summer’s trade deadline and the reigning two-time AL Cy Young winner, is expected to make his first home start at Dodger Stadium on Monday against the Kansas City Royals.

And Blake Snell, the Dodgers’ other two-time Cy Young winner, is expected to return off the injured list the very next day to make his first start since May 9 — and just his second start of the season after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” manager Dave Roberts said.

The Dodgers rotation is still not whole. Tyler Glasnow remains in the early stages of his rehab assignment after missing the last three months with back spasms. And Shohei Ohtani has not started playing catch as he deals with a bothersome left knee.

Yet they are about to roll out a rotation this week at Dodger Stadium that includes Skubal and Snell, as well as reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and first-time All-Star Justin Wrobleski. That assemblage of talent might be unparalleled in the sport.

“We feel like we have the pieces of our starting pitching to go on a run,” Roberts said.

Skubal made his club debut Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, throwing six innings and allowing two runs — one on an ambush solo home run from Dansby Swanson and the other on a high chopper that never left the infield.

The left-hander has shown no ill effects from the revolutionary NanoNeedle procedure he underwent to remove a loose body from his left elbow in May. In his 10 starts since returning, Skubal has a 2.88 ERA and found himself at the center of baseball’s raging debate over whether the Dodgers are ruining the sport.

The rental ace is the latest superstar to join the reigning back-to-back World Series champions. He may be the group’s splashiest midseason addition yet.

“We’ve made some deadline acquisitions with some top-end guys, but this guy is something special,” Roberts said. “Have had some time to get to know him a little bit. I think there was a lot of anticipation. There’s going to be a lot of excitement. I think he’s going to be excited to pitch at home at Dodger Stadium in a Dodger uniform. I’m looking forward to it.”

Monday’s start also lines Skubal up to start Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers, who rivaled the Dodgers as the most aggressive club vying for Skubal’s services on the trade market.

Even with Skubal’s acquisition from the Detroit Tigers, Snell’s return on Tuesday remains significant. Snell was dominant throughout much of the Dodgers’ World Series run last season, even while pitching through a shoulder issue that bothered him all the way back to Opening Day in 2025. Snell missed the first month of this season to rest that shoulder, made one start in which he allowed five runs in three innings, then went back on the injured list because of elbow discomfort.

Snell underwent the same procedure Skubal did to remove multiple loose bodies from his elbow. The Dodgers did not push Snell to return as quickly as Skubal did; Skubal returned to the big leagues in 38 days, while Snell will make his first start 84 days after his procedure.

Snell raved about the effects of the procedure, saying this is the best he’s felt in three years. The injury caused him to feel numbness in his right finger and pinky on his pitching hand, but he said he’s since regained that feeling after getting the bone chips removed.

The Dodgers already had one of the best starting rotations in the majors this season, ranking fifth with a 3.56 ERA while logging the fourth-most innings (623 2/3).

With Skubal arriving at Dodger Stadium and Snell making his return, that hypothetical rotation is inching closer to reality.