Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitchers posted a combined 1.69 ERA across 21.1 innings in the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, setting up a formidable four-man rotation for the upcoming National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The group—featuring Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow—delivered the second-lowest rotation ERA of the postseason round, trailing only the Tampa Bay Rays’ 1.65 mark over 16.1 innings.
Building a Postseason Rotation After a First-Round Bye
As the National League’s second seed, the Dodgers earned a first-round bye and a week of rest, which allowed manager Dave Roberts and baseball operations to map out their pitching deployments. Because Los Angeles eliminated Atlanta in four games rather than the full five, the coaching staff gained additional flexibility to reset the rotation before heading to American Family Field for Game 1 on Sunday.
Ver that the things developed that way was not a surprise,
said president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. But the way they went out to compete and how they pushed each other excites us heading into the next round. We hope they can carry us into the late innings of games and be a fundamental part so that, hopefully, we get eight more wins.
Skubal Draws Game 1 After Division Series Reset
Tarik Skubal was originally lined up to start a decisive Game 5 against Atlanta on Friday before the Dodgers clinched the series in four games. Instead, the left-hander—acquired as a major reinforcement before the trade deadline—will take the ball for Game 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Milwaukee has not officially announced its rotation sequence, but Jacob Misiorowski is projected to start opposite Skubal. That matchup pits a consecutive American League Cy Young Award winner against a leading candidate for this year’s National League Cy Young Award.
Yamamoto Targeted for Game 2 Rest Schedule
The Dodgers surprised observers by holding Yoshinobu Yamamoto until Game 3 of the Division Series. The decision was made with the Championship Series in mind, positioning Yamamoto to pitch Game 2 on his usual five days of rest while keeping him on schedule for a potential Game 6.
Yamamoto has not started a game on fewer than five days of rest since joining the Dodgers, though he earned World Series Most Valuable Player honors last year after closing Game 7 on zero days of rest. While the right-hander indicated he is willing to pitch on shortened rest or return to a relief role if needed, the club plans to maintain his standard routine barring specific game circumstances.
Snell and Glasnow Round Out the Depth
Blake Snell showed some early rust in Game 2 of the Division Series, working 3.2 innings while allowing one earned run on three hits and five walks with five strikeouts in just his third appearance in a two-and-a-half-week span due to recurring left groin tightness that flared in mid-September. In Game 4, Snell worked 4.2 innings, giving up one run on one hit and five walks with five strikeouts. Giving Snell additional rest ahead of Game 3 could allow him to refine his mechanics following his limited recent workload.
Tyler Glasnow anchors the fourth spot in the rotation. The Dodgers hold a 7-0 record in postseason games when Glasnow pitches with the team, illustrating the depth of a staff where a pitcher with ace capabilities operates at the back end of the rotation.
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