The Dodgers chose Tarik Skubal to start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Braves on Saturday at Dodger Stadium, setting up an opener that looks heavily tilted toward Los Angeles on the mound. The Braves are expected to use a bullpen game, while the Dodgers have the luxury of choosing among aces.
That alone makes the first game of Braves vs. Dodgers the defining pitching decision of the series. It is one thing to begin a playoff matchup with a frontline starter; it is another to do it with a pitcher of Skubal's caliber while the other side is piecing together innings as a group.
Why the matchup matters
The Braves already showed some of the same offensive issues in the postseason that they carried through the year. During the year, Atlanta posted a 91 wRC+ against left-handed pitching and an 89 team wRC+ on the road. In the Wild Card round, Jesús Luzardo held the Braves to one run in five innings, and Cristopher Sánchez allowed one run through six innings before giving up two more runs in the seventh.
That recent run of results only adds to the challenge for Atlanta in Game 1. With Skubal on the mound for the Dodgers and a bullpen plan on the other side, the opening game gives Los Angeles a chance to set the tone early in the NLDS.
What comes next
The pitching setup becomes even more important with Monday looming as the next checkpoint in the series. The Dodgers were set to face Chris Sale then, which means the opening game is only the start of a tense stretch where every pitching decision will matter.
For now, the headline is simple: the Dodgers went with Tarik Skubal for Game 1, and the Braves are trying to survive the opener without a traditional starter. In a series that already feels uneven on the mound, that choice may shape the first impression of Braves vs. Dodgers.
