Source: Skubal to start Dodgers' NLDS opener; Braves' plans in flux

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  Alden GonzalezOct 2, 2026, 03:00 PM ET

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  ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal will get the ball in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday afternoon, a source told ESPN on Friday. The Dodgers are still uncertain about their plans beyond Skubal, though NL Cy Young contender Yoshinobu Yamamoto would be the logical choice.

Left-hander Skubal, acquired from the Detroit Tigers in a blockbuster trade at midseason, has won the last two American League Cy Young Awards. But there was some thought to potentially starting Yamamoto in Game 1 because it would allow both to be available for a potential winner-take-all Game 5, given that Yamamoto is accustomed to working on at least five days' rest.

The Athletic was first to report that Skubal would start Game 1.

One potential factor in the Dodgers' decision: The Braves have fared better against right-handers (.730 OPS) than lefties (.696 OPS) this season. Lining Skubal up for Games 1 and 5 probably factors into that, and it could make fellow southpaw Blake Snell a possibility for Game 2.

The Braves' plans remain in flux in the wake of their win in Game 3 of their wild-card series against Philadelphia on Thursday night. Manager Walt Weiss said from Atlanta on Friday that the team would continue to iron out its pitching plans during the flight to L.A. later that afternoon.

Weiss acknowledged he'll have to rely heavily on his bullpen in the first two games. Ace Chris Sale was previously lined up to start Sunday's Game 2, but he was used to cover four outs in the winner-take-all Game 3 against the Phillies, throwing 21 pitches.

That outing could technically count as Sale's between-starts bullpen session, coming off his Tuesday start in Game 1. But the 37-year-old left-hander has been pitching on extended rest for most of the season. Taking the ball on four days' rest, with an adrenaline-packed relief appearance in between, could be too much to take on, especially in the early round of these playoffs. Still, Weiss said him starting Game 2 remains "on the table."

"That's one of the topics of discussion this morning before we leave," Weiss said. "A lot of it's going to depend on how Chris feels. Certainly don't want to jeopardize him and his health. He just happened to feel great yesterday when he got to the park, and that's why he was in play. He's had to grind here recently. So we're going to err on the side of giving him more rest, if it's even close."