LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers named two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal as their starter for Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Braves on Saturday.
Skubal, who was acquired from the Tigers in a blockbuster deal ahead of the Trade Deadline, will get the ball as the Dodgers begin their postseason push for the fifth three-peat in World Series history. While the southpaw started six postseason games for Detroit, posting a 2.04 ERA, this will be his first time pitching a home game in the playoffs.
Skubal went 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA in 10 regular-season starts as a Dodger.
The Braves' offense was notably weaker against southpaws in the regular season, recording a .696 OPS against left-handers compared with a .730 OPS against right-handers. That may have been one of the factors that led the Dodgers to opt for Skubal over their ace, 2025 World Series Most Valuable Player Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
By not starting Yamamoto in Game 1, the Dodgers will likely only have him available to start one game in the NLDS, as he has not started a game on fewer than five days' rest in his career. Of course, he pitched in relief on short rest in last year's World Series with a championship on the line, closing out Game 7 the day after he started Game 6.
Yamamoto threw multiple simulated innings during the Dodgers' workout on Wednesday, which was closed to the media, which could make him more likely to start Game 3 if Los Angeles goes with another left-hander, Blake Snell, in Game 2.