Tarik Skubal made his case as a deadline acquisition in his first postseason appearance for the Dodgers, striking out seven batters over six innings while allowing just one earned run on two hits and two walks, according to multiple outlets covering Saturday's NLDS Game 1 against the Braves.
Skubal threw 94 pitches in the outing. The conditions presented an additional challenge: Los Angeles faced both a formidable opponent and extreme heat, per Yahoo Sports. The pitcher's performance—including the ability to reach triple digits on the radar gun in 100-degree temperatures—demonstrated why he was considered a hot commodity ahead of the trade deadline.
The offensive support proved significant for Skubal's success. The Dodgers scored five runs through the first six innings, marking the first time in Skubal's postseason career that his team has scored more than three runs in one of his starts, per Reddit baseball community posts tracking his earlier playoff appearances with the Tigers.