Brief
Dodgers face Brewers in NLCS with Tarik Skubal on mound after August trade
Los Angeles will open the series with Skubal, a pitcher the Brewers once pursued but traded away in August.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The National League Championship Series begins Sunday in Milwaukee, and the Dodgers will start right‑hander Tarik Skubal against the Brewers, a scenario that could have been decided on Aug. 1 when the Dodgers acquired him.
What happened
On Aug. 1, Los Angeles completed a trade for Skubal, a move the Brewers had wanted but declined to include a promising young pitcher. The trade left the Brewers without the pitcher they hoped to keep, and now Skubal will pitch for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS. The series opens Sunday, with the Dodgers hoping to use Skubal alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.
What the reports add
The Los Angeles Times commentary notes that the Brewers’ alternative plan would have seen Skubal start for them, but the trade sent him to the Dodgers. It also highlights that the Brewers’ Game 1 starter is Jacob Misiorowski, with rookie Logan Henderson slated to follow. The article compares ERA figures: Henderson posted a 2.47 ERA in 18 games, Yamamoto 2.53 and Skubal 2.72.
What was said
“Every night when you play these guys, you know you’re going to face a Cy Young‑caliber pitcher,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said.
“Every team was looking to acquire good players at the deadline, and, ultimately, they landed a really good one there in Tarik Skubal,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said.
“The dude’s insane. I’m just hoping that these guys can do their job and handle business with him and let me do my thing and try to get that side taken care of,” Jacob Misiorowski said.
How it came about
Earlier coverage by Felo News detailed the Dodgers’ rotation heading into the NLCS, noting Skubal’s assignment to Game 1 (Dodgers’ rotation primed for NLCS as Skubal set to start against Brewers). The Brewers earned a franchise‑record 103 wins and advanced past the Padres in the NLDS (Brewers defeat Padres 3‑1 to clinch NLDS), setting up the current showdown.
Key facts
- Tarik Skubal will start Game 1 of the NLCS for the Dodgers against the Brewers. (latimes.com)
- The Dodgers acquired Skubal on Aug. 1 in a trade that the Brewers had wanted to complete. (latimes.com)
- Brewers captain Christian Yelich said the Dodgers’ pitchers are Cy Young‑caliber. (latimes.com)
- Brewers president Matt Arnold said every team was chasing good players at the deadline. (latimes.com)
- Jacob Misiorowski, the Brewers’ Game 1 starter, called Skubal "insane" and hopes his teammates can handle the pressure. (latimes.com)
Sources
- [1] latimes.com — originally reported as “Commentary: Here's why the Dodgers-Brewers NLCS might have been decided in August”
