The Los Angeles Dodgers are four wins away from another World Series trip, and they are handing the ball to Tarik Skubal to start the process. The two-time Cy Young Award winner will face the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Sunday, and he is embracing everything that comes with it.

Asked about the pressure surrounding Los Angeles as it chases a third straight championship, Skubal welcomed it.

“The pressure surrounding the Dodgers is a privilege,” Skubal said. “As an athlete, this is what you want to be, and you want to have an expectation to win. I have those same expectations as a player, and in my shoes, I think just keeping the game the game, going out there and competing and doing what I can to put my team in a position to win is important.”

You have to feel so good about Tarik Skubal being the Dodgers Game 1 starter after what he said in response to being asked about LA’s pressure to 3-peat this season:

“The pressure surrounding the Dodgers is a privilege. As an athlete, this is what you want to be and you want to… pic.twitter.com/v0djyPcOhZ

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) October 11, 2026

That mindset has already served him well this October. Skubal started Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Atlanta Braves and allowed just one run on two hits over six innings, striking out seven in a 5-3 win.

Los Angeles went on to eliminate Atlanta in four games, while Milwaukee knocked out the San Diego Padres in four to set up a rematch of last year’s NLCS.

Skubal will be opposed by Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, who has given the Dodgers fits. In two regular-season starts and one relief appearance in last year’s NLCS, the right-hander has posted a 1.59 ERA with 27 strikeouts and only three walks across 17 innings against Los Angeles.

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Game 1 will be played at American Family Field, where Milwaukee will also host Game 2 on Monday. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is lined up to start that game for the Dodgers, giving manager Dave Roberts two aces at the front of his rotation.

The Dodgers may also have a roster decision to make. Infielder Miguel Rojas left Game 3 against Atlanta with lower back pain, and Roberts said there was “nothing definitive” on his status heading into the series.

For Skubal, the assignment is exactly what the Dodgers envisioned when they brought him to Los Angeles. If his words are any indication, he is ready for the moment.