Tarik Skubal's Dodgers debut ends in decisive 5-1 loss to Cubs as LA drops fifth straight game

Colin Cowherd reacts to Manny Machado pushing back the Los Angeles Dodgers ruining baseball narrative.

The Los Angeles Dodgers ruined baseball this past weekend when they attempted to make their team better, an unforgivable crime in the world of modern online baseball fandom.

With Shohei Ohtani nursing a nagging knee injury, injuries to Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, and inconsistent performance from some of the team's other starting pitching options, the Dodgers used some of their impressive outfield prospect depth to acquire reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.

This set off a firestorm of criticism from fans online, who announced they were quitting the sport, that the season should be canceled, that owners should lock players out indefinitely until players agree to allow billionaire owners to keep 99.9% of revenue, or that the outcome of the 2035 World Series was already determined or something.

SENDING ACE PITCHER TARIK SKUBAL TO THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS WOULD OFFICIALLY RUIN BASEBALL

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Aug. 4, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

Well, Skubal made his Dodgers debut Tuesday night in Chicago, facing the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Dodgers lost their fifth straight game, 5-1, falling to 3-7 in their last 10 games. Baseball is ruined.

Skubal, for his part, pitched well, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings while striking out six and walking two. His first run allowed came on a Dansby Swanson home run in the third inning, with the second coming on an unlucky break.

After striking out Pete Crow-Armstrong to start the