Tarik Skubal is getting the ball for Game 1 of the NLDS, a massive honor for a guy who’s only been with the Dodgers for two months. But get this: even the reigning two-time Cy Young winner himself was completely floored by the news, which came down in the most unexpected way possible. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts chose Skubal to start the big series opener, even with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the roster, and the way Skubal found out is pure baseball gold.
The Surprise Reveal That Blew Skubal Away
You’d think a two-time Cy Young winner would just *know* when he’s penciled in for a postseason start, right? Nope, not Tarik Skubal. The man admits this opportunity is a huge deal. “Yeah, I mean, it’s an honor and a privilege to start Game 1 and have the trust of the coaching staff and my teammates and the organization to take the ball and go out there and do what I can do to put our team in a position to win,” Skubal said, clearly pumped. “I’m excited for it.” The crazy part is *when* Roberts broke the news. Skubal was fresh off a dominant outing against the San Francisco Giants on September 25th, a game where he was dealing. He’d thrown 75 pitches, 60 of them strikes, racked up 10 punchouts, gave up only three hits, and walked zero guys over seven innings. He was feeling good, thinking he might even finish the game because his pitch count was so low. That’s when Roberts came over, shook his hand, and dropped the bomb: “get ready for Game 1.” Talk about a mic drop moment!
Skubal’s Stuff vs. The Braves’ Woes
Let’s talk about that last outing: 75 pitches, 10 Ks, 0 walks. That’s efficiency, baby. Skubal was straight up dominant, which clearly gave Roberts all the confidence he needed to hand him the keys to the NLDS opener. And honestly, it’s not just about Skubal’s raw talent; it’s also about the matchup. He’s facing a Braves lineup that, frankly, struggles against left-handed pitching. During the regular season, these guys only hit .240/.300/.396 with a 91 wRC+ against southpaws, according to FanGraphs. Those aren’t exactly intimidating numbers. Skubal’s got the kind of stuff that makes it tough to walk and get on base, which is exactly what you want against a team that already isn’t doing it at a high clip.
So, Game 1 is locked in, and Skubal is ready to prove Roberts’ trust was well-placed. You know he’s gonna be bringing his A-game after getting that kind of surprise shot at the big stage. Get ready for some serious heat.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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