Dodgers' Dave Roberts Declines to Announce NLDS Starting Pitchers, But The Decision is Obvious

There shouldn't be too many surprises.

Sep 17, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, left, and pitcher Tarik Skubal, right, celebrate after clinching the National League West title after the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Los Angeles Dodgers are awaiting the winner of the Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies wild-card series in the National League Division Series.

The Braves took Game 1 from the Phillies in come-from-behind, 5-3 fashion. They're now one win away from a rematch of the 2021 NL Championship Series, which Atlanta won in six games.

Until the Dodgers know their opponent, manager Dave Roberts said he won't announce his starting pitchers.

"Just kind of trying to figure out opponent, and then the schedule going forward," Roberts said on Tuesday. "Not sure about game times and things like that. So we're having the conversation, but we're not definitive yet."

The Dodgers, of course, don't need to announce their NLDS roster until Saturday, but barring anything unforeseen, the starting pitchers will be obvious — and the order they'll be used is pretty easy to discern.

What Will the Dodgers' NLDS Rotation Look Like?

This is what the projected starting rotation should look like for the NLDS:

Game 1: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP
Game 2: Tarik Skubal, LHP
Game 3: Blake Snell, LHP

If neither team sweeps the series, there will be a Game 4 (and potentially Game 5). Roberts did say he expects right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow to play a role in that potential Game 4, which means he wouldn't be in the team's bullpen for Games 1-3.

“He’s one of four [starters]," Roberts said of Glasnow. "I think that it's a little different with the layout of the games in the DS, not playing in the wild-card also. Could he factor into one of the first three games? Possibly. I would say most likely Game 4. I don’t see him out of the bullpen early.”

If that's the case, Glasnow would seemingly pitch Game 4, and then both Yamamoto and Skubal would be available for a win-or-go-home Game 5.

If the Dodgers elect to have Glasnow in the bullpen — or are forced to use him in Games 1-3 — Yamamoto could pitch Game 4 and Skubal would be in line to pitch Game 5.

Dodgers Will Lean on Starting Pitchers to Carry Them Through October

In 2024, the Dodgers had to lean on their bullpen to win the World Series.

Last year, they were able to lean on their starting pitchers, led by Yamamoto, Snell and Glasnow.

This year, with the addition of Skubal, the Dodgers are ready to again rely on their starters to carry them through October.

"We're only as good as our starters," Snell said recently. "And I love our starters, I love the staff, the way we push for each other to be great and support each other. So I can't wait. It's what we've all been waiting for, and now it's time to prove it."

Add us as a preferred source on Google