The Dodgers are lining up Tarik Skubal for the ball in Saturday’s National League Division Series opener against Atlanta, giving their Trade Deadline pickup the first October assignment of the series. Los Angeles has not formally announced the rotation, but Skubal is expected to start ahead of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the 2025 World Series MVP.
NLDS Game 1
| Matchup | Game | First Pitch | Television |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta at Dodgers | NLDS Game 1 | Saturday, 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT | FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX One |
Skubal’s Dodgers Line
| Starts | Record | ERA |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 5-2 | 2.61 |
Skubal arrived from Detroit at the Deadline with the résumé of a pitcher built for this spot. The left-hander is the reigning two-time American League Cy Young Award winner, and he settled quickly into a Dodgers staff that will now lean on him to open a postseason series.
The Atlanta lineup offers a clear reason for the choice. Skubal has been particularly tough on left-handed hitters throughout his Major League career, limiting them to a .576 OPS. Right-handed opponents have produced a .635 OPS against him.
That matters against an Atlanta order whose middle includes left-handed bats Michael Harris II, Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin. The Dodgers will ask Skubal to set the series tone Saturday afternoon, while Yamamoto remains available for a later turn in the rotation.
