Tarik Skubal described his pitching approach during a Los Angeles Dodgers press conference on October 3, 2026.
“I'm trying to execute one pitch at a time,” Skubal said, adding that the mindset has become somewhat easier and simpler with increased major-league experience. He also emphasized trusting the work he has repeatedly done and eliminating distracting thoughts.
Skubal credited Will Smith with calling the game, helping him regain his command and reading hitters' swings. He praised Tommy Edman for outstanding defense for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he praised Kyle Tucker by saying he would take Tucker's at-bat 10 times out of 10.
Skubal said postseason adrenaline and the environment can increase his velocity, while his goal is to be beaten only by his best stuff. He said he reached 101 mph in the second inning, retired the next 15 hitters after the leadoff hitter and felt that efficient innings helped preserve stamina in conditions he described as about 100 degrees. He recalled playing a Little League game in 127-degree heat in Lake Havasu.
Skubal said he felt he had more left in the tank but trusted Dave Roberts' judgment when larger misses and walks appeared later. He also said he would be willing to pitch in relief for the Dodgers, noting that three of the Dodgers' four starters had pitched in relief at some point during the prior postseason and another had pitched on short rest.
Skubal expressed excitement about watching Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitch, saying the Dodgers' starting pitching is elite. Those postseason pitching plans, along with Skubal's willingness to work in relief, remain the specific outlook he discussed for the Dodgers.