Los Angeles Dodgers (69-43) at Chicago Cubs (63-49) | Tuesday, August 4, 2026 | 8:05 PM ET | Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Well, that’s about as tough a follow-up act as it gets. One night after the Cubs took down Justin Wrobleski and the Dodgers in a 10-5 slugfest, Los Angeles counters with a genuine ace making his team debut: Tarik Skubal, fresh off one of the biggest trade deadline deals of the summer. As a Cubs fan, I loved everything about Monday night’s win, but I’m not going to kid myself — tonight’s a completely different animal.
Here’s the full breakdown of Cubs-Dodgers game two at Wrigley: the Skubal debut, pitching matchups, odds, and my final prediction.
Game Info: Cubs vs. Dodgers
- Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2026
- First Pitch: 8:05 PM ET
- Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
- TV/Streaming: TBS
- Series: Dodgers trail 0-1 after the Cubs’ 10-5 win Monday night
The Big Story: Tarik Skubal Debuts for the Dodgers
The Dodgers made one of the loudest moves of the trade deadline by prying Tarik Skubal away from the Tigers, and tonight he takes the mound at Wrigley for the first time in a Los Angeles uniform. This isn’t a rental arm hoping to find his footing — Skubal has been lights-out for months, carrying a sub-3.00 ERA and a strikeout-heavy profile that’s made him one of the most feared arms in baseball all year. Over his last six starts before the trade, he allowed single-digit earned runs across 37 innings with 50 strikeouts. That’s the kind of form that can shut a hot offense down in a hurry, and the Cubs know it.
The flip side is that Skubal isn’t walking into an easy spot for his debut. Chicago just beat up Los Angeles’ pitching staff a night ago, and this Cubs team is a genuinely dangerous lineup at home, where they’ve been well over .500 this season. If there’s a night for a new addition to feel some early jitters, a raucous Wrigley crowd on Tuesday is exactly that kind of environment.
Probable Pitchers
Los Angeles Dodgers: Tarik Skubal (7-5, 2.79 ERA)
Skubal’s overall numbers with Detroit were excellent, but his recent form is downright scary — a 1.95 ERA over his last six starts with elite command and swing-and-miss stuff. The Cubs haven’t seen him this season, which adds an extra layer of uncertainty for Chicago hitters trying to time him up for the first time in a big spot.
Chicago Cubs: Javier Assad (6-1, 3.75 ERA)
Assad has quietly been one of the more effective arms in the Cubs’ rotation this year. He rarely works deep into games, but he also rarely lets an outing get away from him — allowing just a handful of runs across his last several appearances. Against a Dodgers offense that’s actually been cold lately, Assad’s ability to limit damage in five or six innings could be exactly what Chicago needs to keep this one within reach.
Betting Odds for Cubs vs. Dodgers
- Moneyline: Dodgers -207 to -210 / Cubs +170 to +174
- Total: 9 runs
That’s a significant number in Los Angeles’ favor, and Skubal’s debut is clearly driving the line. Books are treating this like a true ace matchup regardless of context, which is fair given his recent form — but a heavy favorite on the road on a getaway-adjacent trip to Wrigley, one night after getting roughed up, is still a number worth watching for value on the Cubs’ side.
Key Storylines to Watch
The Dodgers’ offense has actually gone cold. Los Angeles went just 6-for-24 with runners in scoring position during their recent series in Boston and managed only two home runs across three games. A quiet Dodgers lineup facing a Cubs team playing with confidence at home is a real factor tonight, Skubal or no Skubal.
Freddie Freeman is locked in. Freeman is riding a 13-game hitting streak and has been an absolute machine at the plate recently. He’s the one hitter in this Dodgers lineup the Cubs need to be most careful with, regardless of how the rest of the offense is trending.
The Cubs bullpen is banged up. Chicago is currently without several key relievers, and that bullpen has carried an ERA over 4.40 as a result. If Assad can’t work deep into the game, the door opens for a Dodgers offense that, even in a cold stretch, has more than enough talent to make Chicago pay in the later innings.
Wrigley Field has been an offensive ballpark in this matchup. The over has cashed in the vast majority of recent meetings between these two teams at Wrigley. Even with Skubal on the mound, a 9-run total says the market still expects this game to have some scoring punch to it.
Prediction: Cubs vs. Dodgers
I’d love to tell you the Cubs ride Monday’s momentum into another statement win, but Tarik Skubal in his Dodgers debut is a different challenge than anything Chicago has faced from this rotation all series. He’s simply been one of the best pitchers in baseball for months, and even a lineup as hot as the Cubs’ right now is going to have its work cut out for it seeing him cold for the first time.
As a Cubs fan, I do think Assad keeps this from getting out of hand early, and Chicago’s home-field comfort plus a genuinely cold Dodgers offense gives this game a real chance to stay competitive into the middle innings. But I’m not fighting the number too hard here — Skubal is the best player on the field tonight, and that usually wins out.
Final Score Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Chicago Cubs 3
Odds, probable pitchers, and injury statuses are subject to change ahead of first pitch — always confirm the latest lineups and lines before placing any wagers. This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only.
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