Story perspectives

Dodgers Beat Royals 6-5, Skubal Faces Free Agency

8/11/2026

Summary

Dodgers Edge Royals

The Dodgers defeated the Royals 6-5, giving Edwin Díaz his sixth save and moving the team to 71-48 after an eight-losses-in-nine slide.
Tarik Skubal allowed three runs in five innings, throwing 95 pitches with six strikeouts.
Jac Caglianone hit a two-run homer off Skubal’s 0-2 slider to give Kansas City a 3-0 lead.
Max Muncy’s three-run double in sixth and Shohei Ohtani’s RBI double shifted the lead to Los Angeles.

Summary

Skubal Free Agency

Agent Scott Boras said Detroit offered a $75 million, four-year extension in 2024 and denied Skubal wanted free agency.
Tigers president Scott Harris confirmed the club approached Skubal, but he will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Skubal will face Detroit Aug. 28-30, calling the series emotional and saying he is unsure if he will start.
Player Freddie Freeman defended Skubal, calling trade-related emotions natural and questioning the fan backlash.

Summary

Dodgers Falter

Dodgers have lost eight of nine games, cutting their NL West lead from 14 to 7.5 games.
Small-market clubs including the Brewers, Rays, White Sox and Marlins are vying for playoff spots, noted by former star Anthony Rizzo.
Manager Dave Roberts said the group “is not making adjustments,” urging a change in approach.
Commissioner Rob Manfred urged a salary cap and reserve-system rollbacks to ease fan concerns about balance.

History

Historical Context

On August 12 1994, the MLBPA walked off, and acting commissioner Bud Selig canceled the season on September 14, costing owners $580 million and ending the World Series for the first time since 1904. Owners’ push for a salary cap and revenue-sharing sparked the strike, a template echoed today as the Dodgers-Tigers talks and Manfred’s cap plan confront similar small-market financial pressures.

1 of 4

Dodgers Edge Royals

The Dodgers defeated the Royals 6-5, giving Edwin Díaz his sixth save and moving the team to 71-48 after an eight-losses-in-nine slide.
Tarik Skubal allowed three runs in five innings, throwing 95 pitches with six strikeouts.
Jac Caglianone hit a two-run homer off Skubal’s 0-2 slider to give Kansas City a 3-0 lead.
Max Muncy’s three-run double in sixth and Shohei Ohtani’s RBI double shifted the lead to Los Angeles.

1 / 4