The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers are not an easy outing for any pitcher, no matter how good. The Dodgers, rolling back many of their key bats from 2024, made relatively easy work of the National League playoff field and the American League champion New York Yankees to hoist the trophy to put a capper on last season.
Paul Skenes drew the Dodgers assignment on Friday and was up to the challenge, shutting their bats out through six and a third innings. It was not all easy, including one thorny Shohei Ohtani at-bat that could have changed the game had Skenes not locked in and thrown his best stuff.
