Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is sticking with a familiar formula for his playoff rotation, telling reporters (including Jack Harris and Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times) that Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw will start the first two games of the team’s NLDS matchup with the Padres.
Julio Urias, Tony Gonsolin, and Dustin May are on tap to start Games 3, 4, and 5, though the three pitchers wouldn’t necessarily be deployed in that order. As always, the Dodgers will be flexible with their pitching arrangement during the postseason. “There might be a situation where those guys [Urias, Gonsolin, May] are available in any of the preceding games as a side day to then make a start,” Roberts said.
It also isn’t out of the question that Buehler returns on short rest to pitch in a possible Game 5, though the first step for the Dodgers is making sure that Buehler can get through as much of Game 1 as possible. Two separate trips to the injured list due to a blister problem limited Buehler to just 11 2/3 innings after August 21, and he tossed only four innings (73 pitches) in Game 1 of the Dodgers’ wild card series with the Brewers.
Whether Buehler could pitch longer against the Padres is still up in the air, as Roberts said he will “keep an eye on him each inning….I can’t say it’s scripted or when we’re going to deploy our guys in the pen.” The final five innings of the Game 1 victory over Milwaukee were handled by Urias (three innings), and then an inning each from Blake Treinen and Kenley Jansen, with the reliever trio holding the Brewers scoreless.
Jansen’s outing wasn’t without some shakiness, however, which left Roberts saying that Jansen is still the team’s closer, but no longer the automatic option in save situations. “There are still going to be times that I might need him in a different inning, and he’s on-board with whatever to help us win baseball games. It’s a title, but I think that in practice, there are certain innings and certain parts of the lineup that I think he’s the best option.” While Jansen has a 1.97 ERA over 50 1/3 career postseason innings, he also has a few infamous meltdowns on his resume — over his last eight World Series appearances, Jansen has a loss and is only 1-for-4 in save chances.
Though the L.A. pitching staff is well rested after their two-game sweep of the Brew Crew, the Dodgers will still add some more depth, as Roberts intimated that he will add an extra pitcher to the NLDS roster. Los Angeles deployed 15 position players and 13 pitchers on its wild card series roster, but one of those position players will be left out of the NLDS in favor of another arm, likely right-hander Dylan Floro.
Well that gives something for the padres
2-0 against them this year
Our Pads may be but they are excellent pitchers.
Hoping we get playoff Kershaw then
Love padre fans who are praying their hurt pitchers can even make the roster yet pretend they’re excited to face kershaw
Ask the Brewers how that went
In all fairness, the Brewers barely snuck into the playoffs. The SF Giants had the same record. Their best regular hitter this year was Christian Yelich. Usually, that’s really good, but if your best hitter as a 111 OPS+ and you consider yourself a playoff team, then you’re not going to go far.
Imagine if instead of generalizing a fan base “most Padre fans are this or that” you generalized cultures and skin color? What do we call that again? Because the rational sounds pretty similar.
Of course the San Diego fan base is excited. They haven’t had something to be excited about it some time. It should be expected.
This isn’t baseball talk. This is just people being rude to each other. Having grace for people doesn’t make you less of a man.
It is going to be very difficult for my Padres to beat the Dodgers now. The offenses are very close, although LA has been better. The Padres seem to have a better bullpen. But without their top 2 starters the Padres are going to need several other pitchers to seriously overachieve to have a chance. If both Lamet and Clevinger come back for this series AND are fully healthy I think these 2 teams are very close and either one can win a 5 game series.
@Javia. No team would be in good shape if they lost their top 2 starters for the playoffs. There is no “depth” to replace that just pitchers that will take their spot.
Quite true SalaryCapMyth. It looks like these teams match up very well when both are at full strength. Dodgers would still be more likely to win but in reality either one could take the series. Without Lamet and Clevinger Padres odds drop precipitously.
Oh man, but a playoff series that turns into game 1 Clevinger/Buehler & Game 2 Lamet/Kershaw..wow! I’m NOT a Padres fan and I’m hoping “their hurt pitchers can make the roster” too.
Me too!
Yeah this year’s playoff setup made many bad teams relevant. At least the Padres showed they deserve to be there.
He was comparing grouping together and hating all Padre fans to grouping all people of a certain race together and hating them. Ignoring the fact that everyone is an individual. He was NOT calling you a racist.
BS
That comment would get him decked in real life. That’s not BS you throw around in today’s world and don’t expect people to take offense to it
It was a cheap shot AND SHOCKER you’re the one defending him. The one who has taken more shots at people in the last 3 days than anyone. Y’all are perfect for each other
This is going nowhere. You and imindless aren’t open to listen, so I am done trying to communicate with you. Believe whatever you want. You will anyway.
@salarycapmyth
Not only that, but the Padres are all that San Diego has now. In most large cities, if the baseball team sucks you can just shrug your shoulders and start turning your attention to the local NFL, NBA or NHL team. San Diego doesn’t have any of that. So yeah, we are excited here.
Tip of the day: Arguing with strangers over perceived slights on the Internet is a waste of time and bad for your blood pressure. It’s just baseball!
Ask the Brewers who finished with the 4th worst runs per game average scoring team in the league, 5th worst hits per game average team in the league, 2nd worst strikeouts per game average in the league? Those Brewers?
Padres finished 3rd, 10th, and 6th in all of baseball in the same categories.
Kershaw lone start against the Padres wasn’t anything to write home about this year.
6.1 innings, 5 hits. 3 runs, 9 k’s.
Also, Kershaw gets progressively worse as playoffs go on
NLDS: 3.99 era
NLCS: 4.51 era
WS: 5.40 era.
But good to know he pitched well in the wild card round against a mediocre offense.
@ Dr. Dan. I kind of give Javia a break though. He spoke up as a Padre fan from something said that was antagonistic “most Padre fans are…” and go ahead and fill in the blank and then immindless teamed up on the guy. But ya, you Padre fans have earned your excitement.
It’s difficult not cheering for the Pads..except if you guys end up facing the Braves, then we’re sworn enemies since way back. =D
@Marvel. I’m pretty sure you and I wouldn’t agree on politics but I usually enjoy your baseball posts. Good use of stats.
Marvels keep that same energy when you get knocked out of the second round without winning a game. Dodgers are better than padres by a wide margin. Dodgers have depth do the padres?
@salarycap Don’t have a problem with fans being hyped but idiots like @javia are what is wrong with the forum. Talks smack and fails to accept that many bandwagon padres accounts have come on here talking smack about other players on other teams. I have no problem with padres beating dodgers if they are the better team but to talk smack about the dodgers success in postseason when you haven’t made playoffs in 14 year let alone win a World Series ever is kinda asinine.
Did you forget this is baseball, immindless? Anything can happen. Marlins shouldn’t have beaten the Cubs, right?
Padres get knocked out it is what it is. Theyve dealt with injuries even before the season started. They’ve lost 4 or 5 pen guys for the year and now Lamet and Clevinger. It is what it is.
Dodgers on the other hand have to live with the embarrassment of not winning the world series after baseball analysis have been touting them as the best dodger team they’ve ever seen.
Can’t wait to hear the excuses
Immindless, you mean that energy where you post meaningful stats relevant to the topic at hand?
This is baseball. Any team can win.
@salarycapmyth dodgers have the best run differential In league +141 meaning score more and allow fewer runs than there opponents. Dodgers also have the best war per position by 2 wins over the next best team. Care to add anything else?
Padres fans will have excuses if they lose as well stating they “had injuries and they could have beaten dodgers.”
Nothing is guaranteed in sports and dodgers consistently put themselves in position to win it all yearly. I’d rather have that then what the padres have had over the last 15 years.
Everyone has excuses when their team loses. If the Dodgers lose, I imagine you will make a statement that OTHERS perceive as excuses. But losing your two best starters is not an excuse..that’s a reason.
Also, about your statement concerning Javia. It’s hypocritical to say he is part of the problem because he was responding to a criticism as it was.
About your stats. Well..if the Dodgers lose, I hope you keep that same energy. =D
They dont beat the dodgers it is what it is.
Injuries took their toll on the staff and the pen was taxed in the wild card round. Its not a secret theyre not pitching at full strength heading into the DS.
They’ve lost arms they were depending on in Munoz, Wingenter, Yates, and Castillo to be anchors in the pen early on. Now they’re probably down Lamet and Clevinger.
Depleted pitching staffs usually don’t fair well.
Padres don’t win its going to be that big of a surprise.
Dodgers don’t win the WS theyll never live down the embarrassment. Itll be like the Bills in the 90s.
What makes a great team is depth. Padres sadly don’t have that if they are riding on missing 2 starters. Injuries happen it’s a part of sports dodgers were missing several players this season and still ended 6 wins over padres including 6/10 against said padres. Padres were swept by angels twice this year lol
@maga same goes for padres when they lose, we will look to how high padres stans like yourself placed thr padres only to see them never reach post season for another 15/20 years. All padres fans can do is try and ridicule dodgers for not winning when nothing is guaranteed in sports and recently cheating cost them 1 and maybe 2 titles. By all means though your salty tears show through when you try to make digs about dodgers inability to win the big game. Just try to make playoffs consistently before you speak.
The Braves won 1 title with 12 division titles
No one calls them failures
In other news, 2+2 =4
Act like we’ve been there before? We haven’t and have the worst sports city in the nation. Three pro teams split. Are we a little angsty, sure.
Just asking for a little slack that’s all. We finally have a team, a great group of guys that makes us San Diegans proud and finally something we can really cheer for.
All are welcome aboard this SD train!
If you want slack, tell your fans to stop with the National talking points and then don’t expect people to come back at them. Lol. Amazing how you guys want to pick fights then get upset when people reply
Amazing. Bunch of crybabies
If you want slack, jut look to Machado. That guy has flat-out said he intends to slack off whenever he wants to, and has proven it. You want slack? The Padres paid for a decade of it.
In other news, I said “jut.” I may have seen The Beastmaster too many times.
Nvm, I think those were the Juns.
Not trying to start anything. The Dodgers are good. I expect them to take the series but the Pads will use this as a measuring stick/litmus test for the future. If you want to be the best you have to beat the best.
The Dodgers should win, but it will be a grind for them. The Padres might surprise them. It’s a short series.
The 8th and 9th innings for both teams will be very interesting. Rosenthal was lights out in one of his outings, but struggled in another one and he gave up six runners in three innings
Did I read right that Kenley was throwing like 86-87 in his one outing? He’s getting outs, but you have to wonder if that diminished velocity is going to come into play in the playoffs. Brusdar Grateorl has been great, but do you trust the rookie late in the game? Are May/Gonsolin late inning options, or are they being saved to start or to piggy back a starter?
Yes, it’s true, Jansen was down quite a bit in velocity in his last outing, but that isn’t actually the most worrisome part of the performance. The real concern is he was missing well out of the strike zone, a lot. Until his issue is figured and corrected out he can’t be run out there with a playoff game on the line. I say go with Graterol, and also over Treinen who also hasn’t really been very effective.
This was a great thread to pass the time on the pot this morning. Real entertaining stuff guys. I look forward to this series just to see the trash talk on here.
Yup because who ever wins this matchup is going straight pass your braves To the World Series.
If the Padres advance maybe they’ll do something the Dodgers haven’t done since I was born, win a World Series.
When was Braves last title? Asking for a friend.
Use Google you salty soy boy.
Says the guy with mullet 40 lbs overweight. Let me know when you move out of your moms house forest!
That is hilarious. I’m not sure if that’s just a really bad joke, or if you think that’s an actual picture of me and you thought that was an insult, but bravo, you made me laugh.
Padre fans just excited to win WC
You have every right to be happy. Padres are a great team but when fans talk smack to other fans when there team has had little success is the problem. Good luck though and may the best team win.
Yep, I am a Dodger fan but I am actually happy for Padres fans, who have been disrespected for so long by ownership. It’s good for baseball and good for the division for this team to finally be revitalized by an ownership and management that has built an excellent farm system and isn’t afraid of aggressive signings and trades. I still believe the Dodgers have the edge, but it isn’t by a lot. I see the Padres as the only team really standing in the way of another trip to the World Series.
Yes, it is definitely nice to not be having regular fire sales anymore. Not being forced to trade guys like Fred McGriff for a guy like Melvin Nieves just to reduce salary obligations!
I heard the baseball analyst on ESPN say this is the best Dodgers team ever. They lead baseball in homeruns and ERA. But this is 2020. And this is baseball. Anything can happen.
Even the best teams lose some games. No 162-0 seasons in MLB.
This talk about playoff Kershaw is nice and all, but Kershaw is now the #2. I’ll take Kershaw in the second slot on my team. LA is loaded and should be favoured to win everything.
They are farvored.
I looked up farvored and found nothing. You also contributed nothing. Again.
Yes. I misspelled a word. My mistake.
LA IS favored to win it all. I was agreeing with you wild bill tetley.
No prob. But it’s total crap they do not play in their home park as one of the hub cities.
True. I guess mlb is trying to keep from giving the Dodgers a theoretical home field advantage that other should-be home field teams won’t have. I don’t really know. Honestly, they should be played in LA. Not much of a home field advantage for them with no fans but still, they did earn it.
MLB should have had a contingency play. Dodgers practically clinched in July. But I think they wanted to put all teams into a bubble rather than allow them to stay in their own home.
It’s 2020. Dodgers go to the World Series — and then lose to Houston.
If the Dodgers go to the World Series, end up facing the Astros and lose a couple of games they should just cheat. Turnabout is fair play right?