What happened: Tarik Skubal struck out five of his last six batters in the Dodgers' NLCS opener, leaning on a changeup that kept drawing empty swings. His fastball stayed near triple digits, and he had generated whiffs with five different pitches by the end of the third inning.

Why it matters: Los Angeles built its NLCS rotation order around Skubal opening the series, so a swing-and-miss start carries immediate value in a short postseason set. If he keeps working deep into the game, the Dodgers can protect the rest of their pitching plan for the next two matchups.

What to watch: The next test is whether Skubal keeps the changeup working once the order turns over. His pitch count through the middle innings will shape how aggressively the Dodgers can script the late game.