The Los Angeles Dodgers absolutely put their best foot forward with their first two starters, getting two strong road starts and setting the tone early.
On Friday, October 9th, manager Dave Roberts announced that Tarik Skubal will start Game 1 of the NLCS on Sunday, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto will take the mound for Game 2.
The Dodgers and Dave Roberts didn’t overthink the call — they have a strong pairing to try to steal a road game or two.
Why Skubal is the man for Game 1
The two-time Cy Young Award winner is no stranger to taking the ball in Game 1 of playoff series, and he’s done it for the Tigers time and time again.
Additionally, Skubal has an excellent road split this year and for most of his career. His road ERA is markedly better than at home.
In 2026, he has a 3.63 ERA in 14 home starts and a 1.70 ERA in 12 road starts.
It fits his mentality, too—Skubal is an intense competitor when he takes the mound and stays unflappable no matter what happens.
He’s also pitching on extra rest, giving him a clear edge.
Worst case, the Dodgers have an ace in the hole for the second road game of the series.
Yamamoto works perfectly for Game 2
Yamamoto just pitched on Wednesday, and he is someone who tends to get some extra rest in between his starts.
Still, he can find an extra gear in the postseason, and he is also notably better on the road than at home.
Yamamoto has a 1.77 ERA on the road through 81.1 innings this year, while he has a 3.13 ERA in 16 home games.
The Japanese ace is one of the best in-game adjusters in football, and his quiet resilience bodes well in any environment.
With their two best starters pitching on the road, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell take up the duties at home.
The Dodgers aren’t pulling any punches with this rotation, and they seem fully focused on taking both games in Milwaukee and ending the series at home.
