Dodgers Name Skubal and Yamamoto for NLCS Against Brewers

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers will begin the National League Championship Series in Milwaukee with elite pitching matchups as both teams pursue a World Series berth. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Tarik Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start the first two games of the series.

According to ESPN, Game 1 will feature Skubal against Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski, while Yamamoto is scheduled to face Logan Henderson in Game 2. The Dodgers advanced after defeating the Atlanta Braves in four games, and Milwaukee reached the NLCS by beating the San Diego Padres in four games.

Skubal allowed one run over six innings in the Dodgers' NL Division Series opener, while Yamamoto gave up one run across seven innings in his start. MLB Trade Rumors reported Milwaukee won 103 regular-season games, the most in franchise history, and led the National League with that total.

The Brewers' pitching plan centers on Misiorowski, who MLB Trade Rumors reported finished the season with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts, and Henderson, who posted a 2.47 ERA in 18 starts. Milwaukee also led the NL in bullpen ERA during the regular season.

Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy discussed the challenge of facing Milwaukee's top starter after Los Angeles acquired Skubal before the postseason.

"Obviously, that wouldn’t be very fun to come in here and face Miz then Skubal," said Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy.

Christian Yelich said Milwaukee expected to face Los Angeles in this round and recognized the difficulty of the Dodgers' rotation. The Brewers captain highlighted the quality of the opposing pitching staff before the series began.

"Every night when you play these guys, you know you’re going to face a Cy Young-caliber pitcher," said Brewers captain Christian Yelich.

Yelich also described the matchup as something Milwaukee anticipated during the season. The Brewers reached the championship series after a 103-win campaign that included a deep and balanced lineup.

"We’ve been expecting having to play them in this round since spring training," said Brewers captain Christian Yelich.

Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold addressed the decision-making around the trade deadline, when Milwaukee pursued top players while keeping Henderson in its organization.

"Every team was looking to acquire good players at the deadline," said Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold.

Arnold added that Los Angeles ultimately obtained Skubal, who became the Dodgers' Game 1 starter. The pitcher had previously been with the Detroit Tigers before the trade.

"and, ultimately, they landed a really good one there in Tarik Skubal," said Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold.

Misiorowski acknowledged the challenge of facing Skubal and the Dodgers' lineup in the opening game. The Brewers starter is expected to be a key part of Milwaukee's postseason plans.

"The dude’s insane. I’m just hoping that these guys can do their job and handle business with him and let me do my thing and try to get that side taken care of," said Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said the series represents a significant opportunity for a franchise seeking its first World Series championship. He credited the chance to compete against a team with recent postseason success.

"I’m grateful for the opportunity to compete against the Dodgers, because they obviously have proven to be a dominant baseball organization," said Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

Murphy also addressed the team's mindset entering the matchup after Milwaukee's strong regular season.

"You can complain or explain or say it’s this or it’s that, but the opportunity to get in the ring and do that is pretty special," said Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

The Brewers manager said the matchup carries significance because of the teams' recent history and the stakes of the championship series.

"That’s the way you’d want this storybook ending — when you’re writing the last words of the Milwaukee Brewers championship, you’d want it to go through the Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s the way it has to be if it’s an incredible story, for lack of a better adjective," said Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

The Dodgers are attempting to become the first team since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees to win three consecutive World Series titles, while the Brewers enter the series after their best regular season record in franchise history.