Dodgers Tap Tarik Skubal for Game 1 Start in NLDS
The left-hander, acquired mid-season, will lead the rotation as Los Angeles begins its pursuit of a third consecutive World Series title.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have selected Tarik Skubal as their starting pitcher for Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, a source with knowledge of the decision told the California Post. This marks a significant moment for Skubal, who was a marquee trade deadline acquisition and will be the only pitcher in the Dodgers' vaunted rotation yet to win a championship ring as they begin their bid for a third-straight World Series title.
Skubal is set to jump-start the club's postseason campaign in the opener on Saturday. The Dodgers' rotation boasts considerable depth, featuring Skubal alongside fellow aces Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow, any of whom could anchor the pitching staff on other teams. However, Skubal has earned the nod following increasingly impressive late-season performances with Los Angeles after his arrival from the Detroit Tigers in August.
During his 10 starts with the Dodgers after the trade deadline, the 29-year-old left-hander posted a 5-2 record with a 2.61 ERA. This performance built upon his earlier success with the Tigers, where he was 7-5 with a 2.79 ERA before an elbow procedure sidelined him for the entire month of May. Skubal's recent outings for the Dodgers included two scoreless seven-inning starts in two of his final three regular-season appearances.
Prior to this announcement, Yamamoto, the hero of last fall's World Series, was considered a strong candidate for the Game 1 start. However, Yamamoto participated in an extensive simulated game during the team's bye-week workouts on Wednesday. This schedule may position him to start Game 3 in Atlanta next Tuesday, with his road ERA (1.77) notably better than his home ERA (3.13) this season.
Snell, who has recently followed Skubal in the Dodgers' rotation, is the logical choice to start Game 2 on Sunday. Glasnow, who also pitched in a simulated game Thursday, is expected to pitch in Game 4 and could be an option out of the bullpen this weekend.
Skubal, who is slated to be the top free agent on the market this winter, brings a strong postseason track record despite not yet having a World Series title to his name. In six playoff appearances over the past two years with the Tigers, he recorded a 2.04 ERA and struck out 56 batters in 39 2/3 innings. A notable exception was a difficult outing in Game 5 of the 2024 American League Division Series, where he allowed five runs in a decisive loss. Skubal has cited that experience as motivation.
"Once the months change and the playoffs start, nothing matters," Skubal said recently. "It’s just about winning that game, and that’s how I treat every single start. Because I’m just trying to put our team in a position to win a baseball game. That won’t change from today, and whenever my next start is."