Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has a bunch of options on who he wants to play for Game 1 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves.
But it looks like Tarik Skubal will take the title in Saturday’s contest at Dodgers Stadium.
The left-handed ace was the Dodgers’ biggest midseason acquisition when the two-time Cy Young winner joined the two-time defending World Series champions from Detroit in a blockbuster trade. He initially struggled in his first few starts, but returned to the form that made him one of the most feared pitchers in baseball.
Skubal finished the regular season 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA in eight starts for the Dodgers. The team will want to lean on Skubal as much as they can in the postseason, especially since he is expected to be one of the biggest free agents this winter.
His start could then allow Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Blake Snell to start for the Dodgers for Game 2. The Dodgers (93-60) are in the postseason for the 14th straight season, tying the Braves’ record from 1991-2005.
As for the Braves, it remains to be seen who skipper Walt Weiss will go with. It was supposed to be Chris Sale, but the staff ace played in both Game 2 and Game 3 of the wild-card series against the Phillies.
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