Tarik Skubal set to start Game 1 for Dodgers
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LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers will start Tarik Skubal against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, last year's World Series MVP, will start Game 2 on Monday at American Family Field, manager Dave Roberts said Friday.
Skubal also started Game 1 of the NL Division Series. The two-time Cy Young Award winner pitched six dominant innings, allowing one run and two hits, in a 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves. The left-hander struck out seven and walked two.
Yamamoto started Game 3 of the NLDS, and struck out 10 over seven innings. The right-hander allowed one run and four hits to go with one walk.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell struggled as the Game 2 starter against the Braves, who won 3-2 to tie the best-of-five series 1-1. The Dodgers went on to eliminate the Braves, 3-1.
Roberts said the Dodgers were in discussions about adding a pitcher for the best-of-seven NLCS, which would require them to drop a position player. Rosters are due Sunday morning.
Miguel Rojas exited Game 3 against the Braves during an at-bat with lower back pain. The utility player underwent imaging, which mostly showed prior back issues. He took ground balls and a couple rounds of batting practice at Dodger Stadium on Friday.
Rays await ALCS foe
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bays Rays showed they can play any brand of baseball during a sweep of the New York Yankees.
They mixed power from likely and unlikely sources and their usual small-ball style along with dominant pitching, excellent fielding and strong fundamentals.
That was the formula that led to 98 wins in the regular season, three more against the Yankees and has the Rays waiting for their opponent in the AL Championship Series.
Tampa Bay faces either the Cleveland Guardians or Chicago White Sox. Game 5 of that series is Saturday night.
Drew Rasmussen was so dominant in the series opener against New York that Jonathan Aranda's solo homer was all the support needed.
But the Rays' pesky style of putting the ball in play, moving runners over, using their speed and taking advantage of mistakes was the difference in Game 2. The Yankees fell apart defensively and Tampa Bay made them pay for it in a 5-2 win.
The Rays finished off New York with a 4-3 victory on Wednesday behind homers from Victor Mesa Jr. and Ryan Vilade -- two guys who went deep a combined 25 times in the regular season.