Dave Roberts announced on October 9, 2026, that Tarik Skubal will start Game 1 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start Game 2 for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Roberts said the rest of the rotation remains under discussion, adding, “from there we're just going to keep talking through it.” He also stated that the Dodgers have “the best rotation top to bottom in baseball” and explained that resetting the rotation helps the bullpen.
The Dodgers plan to add another pitcher to the bullpen and must remove a position player to make room. Roberts evaluated Mickey Row’s workout as encouraging, saying, “today was a step in the right direction,” while noting that the team will wait for Row’s next workout before making a definitive decision.
Roberts characterized Milwaukee’s approach as team baseball rather than small ball or pesky baseball: “it's not small ball, it's not pesky, it's just it's baseball.” He also said Edwin Diaz had “refound that confidence,” giving him a trusted option to close games without limiting his use in the eighth inning.
Mookie Betts’ high-quality at-bats at the top of the lineup, Roberts noted, set the tone for the rest of the Dodgers’ lineup and the opposing starter. Roberts said Milwaukee won 103 games, while Shohei Ohtani’s Game 1 batting position would likely be “somewhere between one and five.” He added that Yamamoto’s Game 2 placement was designed to manage his rest and could give him the best chance to pitch Games 2 and 6.
The Dodgers will continue discussing the remainder of the rotation, await Mickey Row’s next workout before deciding on his status and adjust the bullpen by adding another arm and removing a position player.