Tarik Skubal seems to be getting comfy with the Dodgers, on the area and in the clubhouse.
Skubal produced the longest outing of his Dodgers tenure on Saturday, going seven innings and tallying 11 strikeouts against the Pirates in a 4-3 victory. It marked his first official win with Los Angeles since getting traded from the Tigers a few days before the deadline.
Los Angeles Dodgers Tarik Skubal during the first inning of the common season MLB sport against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (ZUMAPRESS.com) ZUMAPRESS.com
He’s also discovering his place in Los Angeles’ clubhouse, which is proven by his new “Scooby Doo Pa Pa” nickname that Miguel Rojas has given him.
“Absolutely,” Skubal said postgame when requested whether he likes being “Scooby Doo Pa Pa.”
Dodgers utilityman Kike Hernandez commented, “SCOOBY DOO PA PA!!!” on one of Skubal’s latest Instagram posts, which introduced this new nickname to everyone’s consideration.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) during a sport against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I think it’s great,” Skubal added. “I think it’s funny, lighthearted. I think that [Rojas is] really good at those types of things… Especially with starting pitching, he kind of orchestrates a dance thing before the guys go. So he’s a ton of fun to be teammates with. It came right to his mind when we were on the bus, so yeah. It stuck.”
“They play it for every strikeout, too, which I think is funny, too. And I got some video of my boys dancing to it before the game today, too, so that’s pretty funny. Yeah, it’s good.”
Tarik Skubal is a fan of his new nickname “Scooby Doo Pa Pa” that Miguel Rojas and the Dodgers gave him:
“It’s funny, lighthearted… he’s a ton of fun to be teammates with. It came right to his mind when we were on the bus so it stuck.”
“They play it for every strikeout too, I… pic.twitter.com/mo8D2EvFDx
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) August 23, 2026
The nickname is clearly because Skubal’s last title sounds like “Scooby,” which then brings the iconic cartoon canine “Scooby Doo” to thoughts. The “Pa Pa” half must have stemmed from Rojas’ distinctive inventive aptitude.
Any ballplayer getting a nickname from teammates is a signal of affection. Perhaps this affection from Rojas and the relaxation of the Dodgers’ roster will get Skubal totally settled with his new squad.