Newly acquired ace Tarik Skubal will get his first crack at the Atlanta Braves on Saturday for Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
Skubal, 29, will make his Dodgers postseason debut against the Braves coming off his best start of the season as a member of the Dodgers, in which he went seven shutout innings with ten strikeouts to put down the San Francisco Giants.
Since joining the team just before the 2026 MLB trade deadline, Skubal has been the prince that was promised. In ten starts, he’s notched a 5-2 record with a 2.61 ERA and 2.36 FIP and leads all MLB pitchers in fWAR. The Dodgers are 8-2 in games that Skubal starts.
Why Tarik Skubal is starting over Yamamoto
Tarik Skubal has been as advertised since the team brought him over from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for OF Zyhir Hope, RHP River Ryan and RHP Brady Smith.
So why were some people upset to see him get the call for Game 1 of the NLDS?
Well, prior to Skubal’s arrival, there was a starting pitcher hierarchy that manager Dave Roberts could depend on, headlined by reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Some fans were perplexed by the decision to have Skubal make his Dodgers playoff debut in Game 1 rather than trot out the consistent and dominant postseason performer in Yamamoto.
There’s a good reason for it, though.
The Braves have hit better off right-handers all season, and Roberts loves playing the matchup advantage.
The Braves finished the 2026 regular season hitting .252 off right-handed pitchers with a .736 OPS. Meanwhile, Atlanta hit .240 off lefties with a .696 OPS as a team.
It makes sense to give a lefty the first crack at Atlanta, which is also why we shouldn’t be surprised if Blake Snell gets the call for Game 2, as well.
There’s really no wrong answer with this Dodgers starting pitcher lineup. Yama could theoretically be on the mound with a chance to clinch the NLCS—is that a bad thing? Of course not.
The bullpen and the offensive production will be the story of this Dodgers postseason run. The rest, as they say, is gravy.
Game 1 of the National League Division Series takes place Saturday, Oct. 3 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. First pitch is expected at 1 p.m., and temperatures could soar into triple digits by game time.
For the latest schedule of the NLDS, click here.
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