It's strength vs. strength with Skenes set to battle Dodgers

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, the reigning Cy Young Award winner with a 2.83 ERA in 2026, is set to start against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park in the opener of a three-game series. Skenes holds a 3-1 record with a 2.70 ERA in four career starts against the Dodgers. The marquee individual matchup features Skenes facing Shohei Ohtani, who has struck out six times but hit one home run across their 11 prior at-bats.