Tarik Skubal heard the noise.

He just isn’t quite sure what everyone was saying.

The former Detroit Tigers ace made his highly anticipated return to Comerica Park on Friday night, this time wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform. Skubal received plenty of cheers prior to the start of the game, but there were certainly plenty of boos once he took the mound against his former team.

After the game, Skubal was asked the obvious question.

Did Detroit boo him?

His answer was about as perfect as it gets.

“You know with the last name Skoob, you don’t know if they are boos or they’re cheering for you and I gotta assume they were cheering for me,” Skubal said. “That’s all I gotta say about that”

Well played, Skoob.

Tarik Skubal’s Emotional Return to Detroit

The reception had been one of the biggest storylines surrounding Skubal’s return ever since it became clear his spot in the Dodgers rotation would bring him back to Detroit less than a month after the trade.

Before the game, the Tigers honored Skubal with a video tribute as he walked back from the bullpen. Skubal appeared emotional during the moment as fans throughout Comerica Park stood and applauded.

That came after Skubal had already admitted he expected his return to Detroit to be emotional.

Once Skubal took the mound, however, the reception became a little more complicated.

MLB reported that there were plenty of boos mixed with calls of “Skooooob” when the left-hander took the mound.

Which, as Skubal pointed out afterward, creates a pretty convenient loophole.

Were they booing?

Or were they yelling “Skoob”?

Skubal has apparently decided to believe Option B.

Skubal Delivers Against His Former Team

Whatever fans were yelling, Skubal did not let it bother him.

He held Detroit to one run on four hits over six innings, striking out seven without issuing a walk. He threw only 83 pitches, 56 for strikes, before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts ended his night.

Skubal appeared visibly unhappy when Roberts informed him after the sixth inning that he was finished, but his work was done.

Los Angeles eventually escaped Comerica Park with a 2-1 victory, while Detroit fell to 62-72. Skubal’s reception was described as mostly cheers with a smattering of boos during his first appearance at Comerica Park as a visiting player.

There had been plenty of debate leading into Friday about how Tigers fans would treat their former ace.

Skubal found an easier way to settle it.

Just assume they were saying “Skoob.”

Problem solved.