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Tarik Skubal Named NLDS Game 1 Starter for Dodgers

By Drooid · Oct 3, 2026, 10:13 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Dodgers Name Starter

The Los Angeles Dodgers named left-hander Tarik Skubal as the NLDS Game 1 starter.
Skubal, a Cy Young winner acquired from Detroit, posted a 2.61 ERA with 70 strikeouts in ten Dodgers starts.
He is 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 39 2/3 postseason innings.
Game 1 begins at 1 p.m. PDT (4 p.m. ET) Oct 3 at Dodger Stadium on FOX, with the Braves starting a bullpen game.

Summary

Skubal Faces Heat

Skubal will pitch his first postseason game at home, ending years of road-only playoff starts.
He faces an extreme heat warning predicting 100-degree Fahrenheit conditions, and he urges fans to stay hydrated.
He says the pressure of joining a three-peat champion differs from his role as the Tigers’ ace.
His pending unrestricted free agency this winter could command a record-breaking pitcher contract.

History

Historical Context

The reserve clause, adopted by the National League in 1879, kept players bound to teams indefinitely. Arbitrator Peter Seitz’s December 23 1975 ruling in the Messersmith-McNally case ended that clause, creating modern free agency. That shift now frames expectations that Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal could command a record-breaking contract as he nears unrestricted free agency.

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Dodgers Name Starter

The Los Angeles Dodgers named left-hander Tarik Skubal as the NLDS Game 1 starter.
Skubal, a Cy Young winner acquired from Detroit, posted a 2.61 ERA with 70 strikeouts in ten Dodgers starts.
He is 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 39 2/3 postseason innings.
Game 1 begins at 1 p.m. PDT (4 p.m. ET) Oct 3 at Dodger Stadium on FOX, with the Braves starting a bullpen game.

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