What happened: Dave Roberts said the Dodgers arranged Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in that order with the NLCS in mind. That keeps Tarik Skubal at the front after he was already lined up for Game 1, with Snell and Yamamoto following behind him.

Why it matters: The choice shapes rest and availability for a potential next-round series instead of treating each Division Series start on its own. It also signals that Los Angeles wants its top three starters aligned in a specific sequence if it advances.

What to watch: Watch whether Roberts keeps that alignment through off days and any bullpen-heavy turns later in the series. If Los Angeles advances, the NLCS opener will show whether the sequencing delivered the matchup it wanted.