Tarik Skubal earned his first win as a Dodgers starting pitcher on August 21, 2026, overcoming a rough first inning to pitch deep into the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
"It feels good obviously to get the first one out of the way," Skubal said. He acknowledged the outing did not begin smoothly, noting that his execution improved as the game progressed. "Execution got a little bit better as the game went on," he explained, adding that he was able to sustain his velocity late, including a pitch that hit 100 mph in the sixth inning.
Skubal compared the start to his previous outing against Milwaukee, saying both featured hitters taking a lot of quality pitches. He noted, "my last start was pretty good, too," pointing to that outing as another strong showing of pitch execution. He also mentioned discussing his early-game approach with pitching coach Mark, saying, "I was talking to Mark about that today. You know, early in games I might just be trying to feel it out too much." Skubal referenced his recent stretch of starts, saying he had been below expectation in first-pitch strikes over his last five outings while still staying ahead in most counts.
Skubal described his personal standard as a starter as pitching deep into games to save the bullpen and control the outcome, stating, "the standard is to pitch deeper in the game." He said he takes pride in keeping his team in games even after allowing early runs, giving the offense a chance to catch up, calling that something he takes a ton of pride in. He also emphasized the process of building relationships and trust with his new teammates and staff since joining the Dodgers, noting that everyone is "constantly kind of learning each other and developing relationships."
Skubal praised several members of the Dodgers rotation, calling Blake "nasty" and one of the game's best lefties, and saying Yoshinobu Yamamoto's process is "nuts, too," while noting Yamamoto threw 107 pitches the previous night. He also expressed excitement about the return of Tyler Glasnow, saying, "Glass is coming back soon. I'm excited to watch him." Skubal additionally discussed a walk-up entrance song and dance tradition that teammate Miguel Rojas has orchestrated for debuts and strikeouts, calling it fun and something that has stuck with the club.
Skubal closed his remarks by pointing to the returning and developing rotation as a source of excitement, citing Blake's continued comfort, Yamamoto's process, and Glasnow's imminent return as pieces the team can build around going forward.