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On Major League Baseball’s day of aces, two of the best will oppose each other Thursday in Los Angeles when the World Series champion Dodgers play host to the Detroit Tigers.

While it will be Opening Day for the Tigers, the Dodgers are beginning their domestic schedule after a pair of victories against the Chicago Cubs last week in Tokyo.

Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell will put his two Cy Young Awards on the table opposite Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal, who won his first Cy Young Award last season. Snell went 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts for the San Francisco Giants last season, while Skubal was 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA in 31 starts.

After their visit to Japan to begin their title defense, the Dodgers returned home to play three more exhibition games — but they’re still trying to get their feet under them with the home schedule ready to begin.

The Dodgers did not have either shortstop Mookie Betts (illness) or first baseman Freddie Freeman (rib cage) in their lineup against the Cubs. While Freeman, the World Series Most Valuable Player, is ready to go, Betts has spent the past two weeks trying to recover from a stomach virus.

National League MVP Shohei Ohtani returned from offseason shoulder surgery to hit a home run during the Japan Series. The two-way star will return to the mound later this season after elbow surgery in 2023, leaving him to concentrate on his offense until at least May.

“I know Shohei puts his pants on just like we all do, one leg at a time. But if there’s ever a superhero, I think Shohei just seems like a superhero,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Ohtani homered in Japan. “In the biggest of games or the biggest of moments, he seems to always deliver.”

Another big moment will arrive Thursday when the Dodgers receive their World Series rings during a pregame ceremony.

The Tigers will be keen observers of the celebration. On track again after making their first playoff appearance in 10 years, there is hope for a deeper postseason run in 2025. The Tigers fell to the rival Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS last season.

Adding to the disappointment of last season’s abrupt end was that Skubal started the deciding Game 5 of the ALDS, but he gave up five runs in six innings that included a grand slam. He had allowed five runs in a game just once before in 2024.

One of baseball’s brightest pitching stars is sure to have a healthy dose of motivation heading into the season. He has reason to be confident Thursday after giving up two runs with eight strikeouts in six innings of a home outing against Los Angeles last season.

Now he becomes the fourth reigning Cy Young winner to open the season against a defending champion, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, and the first since 1994.

“You get to face the reigning champs on Day 1,” Skubal told reporters earlier this spring. “You see how their offseason was, and you see that lineup; it’ll be fun. And in their home park, too. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

“You don’t know how many Opening Days you’re going to start in your career. It’s an honor.”

There are causes for concern with the Tigers losing a trio of center fielders to injury: Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling and Wenceel Perez. In addition, starting pitcher Alex Cobb begins the season on the injured list.

Left fielder Riley Greene led Detroit with 24 home runs last year while right fielder Kerry Carpenter had a team-best .932 OPS in 87 games.

–Field Level Media