Skubal 'as advertised' in brilliant opener, stakes Dodgers to 1-0 NLDS lead — SkimNews
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- Tarik Skubal allowed one run on two hits over six innings, retiring 15 consecutive batters with seven strikeouts, as the Dodgers won Game 1 of the NLDS 5-3 over the Braves.
- Skubal touched 101 mph and averaged 98.1 mph on his fastball, generating eight swing-and-misses on his changeup, becoming the first Dodgers pitcher to go at least six innings while allowing no more than two hits in a playoff debut.
- Skubal owns a 0.72 postseason WHIP — the lowest in history for pitchers with at least five starts — and trails only Bob Gibson (74) with 63 career playoff strikeouts across his first seven postseason games, per ESPN Insights.
- The Dodgers acquired Skubal from the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 2 by sending outfield prospect Zhyir Hope and right-hander River Ryan; he posted a 2.61 ERA in 10 regular-season starts after the deal, beating out the Brewers, who were also pursuing him.
- Teoscar Hernández broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the fourth, and Kyle Tucker added a two-run shot in the sixth after what the article called a "miserable" first season in L.A.; Max Muncy also homered in the frame.
- Sandy Koufax, 90 years old, watched from the second row; only Koufax and two other pitchers have recorded at least 40 strikeouts while allowing no more than five runs across a four-start playoff span — a group Skubal joined with a 1.69 ERA.
Why it matters: The Dodgers' deadline blockbuster for a rental ace — executed over the Brewers, who were also in pursuit — immediately paid off in October, giving Los Angeles a 1-0 series lead and an arm that has now authored arguably the most dominant postseason debut in franchise history. Skubal's 0.72 career playoff WHIP and Gibson-adjacent strikeout pace position him as the rare midseason acquisition who can swing a championship chase.
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