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Tarik Skubal believes he hasn’t reached his full potential with the Dodgers following a solid performance against the Cincinnati Reds that extended the team’s winning streak to six games, per staff at Dodger Blue. The left-hander went 7.1 innings and allowed just two runs, both coming on an Elly De La Cruz 444-foot home run in the third inning, while striking out five batters and demonstrating the kind of command that positions him as part of the rotation’s foundation heading into October.

Skubal came to Los Angeles with a reputation as a premier left-handed starter capable of dominating lineups in high-leverage situations. His confidence that his best baseball is still ahead of him reflects the competitive mentality of an ace-level pitcher who believes his performance so far is foundational rather than peak. That’s exactly the kind of mindset you want from a starter carrying responsibility for meaningful games. Skubal’s 7.1 innings on Tuesday showed the kind of efficiency and command that’s necessary for deep October runs—he didn’t need to throw 100+ pitches to dominate the Reds’ lineup. His five strikeouts came cleanly, without excessive walks or baserunners. The single home run De La Cruz hit was a premium fastball that left the zone, not a mistake pitch. Skubal’s belief that he’s building toward something better suggests he’s settling in with the team and the organization’s system. As the season transitions from September into October baseball, having a starter who believes there’s another level to his game is invaluable.

For the Dodgers, Skubal’s confidence and performance against Cincinnati reinforces that our rotation has the depth and talent to compete with anyone in October. We’ve built something real here: Yoshinobu Yamamoto remains a stabilizing force. Blake Snell provides another dimension. Tyler Glasnow is capable of postseason brilliance. Emmet Sheehan has emerged as a legitimate arm. And now Skubal is hitting his stride at exactly the right moment, heading toward the final month of the regular season and into October baseball. Skubal’s belief that his potential extends beyond his current production is the kind of optimism that playoff teams need from their starting pitchers. If he delivers on that belief—if he truly hasn’t reached his ceiling yet—the Dodgers have a rotation capable of winning in October. The fact that he’s thinking in those terms, that he sees room for growth and improvement even while pitching well, shows a starter who’s mentally sharp and ready for the pressure of meaningful baseball.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: September 9, 2026 8:05 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers