Max Scherzer won’t be starting for the Dodgers in the sixth game of the NLCS as planned, according to Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. As Castillo details, Scherzer’s wasn’t feeling 100% on Sunday when he started game two. The hurler himself said his “arm was dead.” Despite that, the team’s plan was still to start Scherzer in game six tomorrow. Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports that “Scherzer’s arm just hasn’t bounced back” as the team hoped. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports that Scherzer is a possibility for game seven, but it will depend on how he feels between now and then.
This is certainly a concerning development for a Dodgers team that has pushed its pitching staff to the brink of exhaustion this postseason. Since they were in the midst of a race with the Giants for the division crown all season, they had no opportunity to ease off the gas pedal and had to lean on their best pitchers right until the season’s final day. Since they came up short in that race, they had to immediately gear up for the wild card game, which Scherzer started, throwing 94 pitches as the Dodgers walked-off the Cardinals and advanced to the NLDS.
Since then, they have used their starters so much that they had to opt for a bullpen game yesterday, despite the fact that they were facing a 3-1 deficit to Atlanta. Seven different pitchers took the mound for the club and led them to an 11-2 victory that seemed to set the stage for Scherzer to take the ball in game six, attempting to even up the series and force a game seven.
Now that Scherzer is off the table, the Dodgers have a few options, although all of them less appealing than a healthy Scherzer. One would be another bullpen game, although that’s a tall ask given that they just had one. However, they do have tonight off, which should theoretically replenish all of their relievers, at least to some degree.
Another option would be turn to David Price, who was just added to the roster to take the place of the injured Joe Kelly. But Price hasn’t pitched in three weeks, with his last appearance coming October 2nd. And even then, he wasn’t stretched out to start. His last six appearances on the season were out of the bullpen and less than two innings. He was stretched out before that, with five consecutive outings of at least 3 2/3 innings, but the last of those was August 28th. That means he’s almost two months removed from carrying a starter’s workload.
Tony Gonsolin was stretched out to finish the season and could also be leaned on for some innings, though he didn’t pitch at all in the NLDS and has only thrown short stints in the NLCS. His last outing was 39 pitches over two innings on Wednesday, the same night that Julio Urias threw 92 pitches over five innings.
Another option, and probably the best one, would be to have Walker Buehler pitch on short rest. His last outing was on Tuesday, though he only threw 76 pitches after getting chased from the game in the fourth inning.
One way or another, manager Dave Roberts and the rest of the Dodgers’ staff will have to be creative. In order to make it into the World Series, they’ll need to find a way to grind through 18 innings without their best option.
Dodgers are washed. Buehler has been dreadful this postseason. Braves definitely winning if he starts.
They’ve been winning bullpen games all year, though. I don’t think it’s over.
Although, I’m pretty exhausted as a fan of this year’s team. Wouldn’t mind if it ended tomorrow.
Bullpen is gassed now. It’s over.
Bullpen just got a day off. I am a Braves fan and I would rather have the Braves, who know Scherzer well and have beaten Him several times in the past, face him than that absolutely sick bullpen. Trust me. This could hurt the Braves big time.
lebzet is speaking truth here. We get it. Mad Max is a stud, but the Braves have handled him in the past. This is a smart move for the Dodgers and can lead to a game 7. I still think the Braves take it though.
As a fan you’re exhausted this time of year? Are you sure you’re a fan?
What fan says that???
Every Dodgers fan I know is definitely NOT exhausted…
Hey Fred – Or do you prefer Snowflake? Watching your team grind through the post season should be the most exciting time of the season for you. That’s really the definition of what a fan is.
Snowflake
How original and clever
Mets opening the bank for Mad Max .Max not starting is coming from the front office nerds
I somehow don’t see Scherzer in a Mets uniform next season
@Rsox Any player that willingly joins the Mets should Have their heads examined. Yikes they’re a mess.
He’s not going to the NL East esp the NY Mess.
Max is looking for another ring, though…
Max resign with dodgers for three years Buehler, Urias, Kershaw. max and Gonsolin. really good starting rotation with may bacK about the all-star game.
He won’t go to the Mets. If anything back to the Nats and retire in a few years.
“Dodgers are washed”…sounds like something a Braves fan would say, knowing in their heart and to the core of their being, that the Braves are going down in seven! At least they won’t have to fly home!
LA fans man, never disappoint with the “incredible” takes.
@Mugwort
What did you say?
Your comment aged well. LOL
LFG Braves. Eddie the man Rosario, cometh the hour cometh the Man. Vamos.
Braves will still choke.
Its what teams from georgia do.
OK, Butt-Head.
@Braves Butt-Head
Hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eddie Rosario!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!It’s out of here. Now take your butt head elsewhere. lol
It’s Knebel time
Dustin May?
So they use two openers and he pitches the middle innings?
Does it sound like he will pitch at all?
Deadarm usually takes a week or two to pass. He could be done for the year if he truly has a definitively “dead” arm
You can still pitch through dead arm, but they probably chose to skip his start. A bullpen game is probably better than a 60% Scherzer
It serves them right. You bring an older pitcher out of the bullpen to pitch in relief when he’s never done it in his career on short rest? That’s the result: dead arm. The front office geeks tried to get too cute and its backfired.
Scherzer pitched out of the pen multiple times in the postseason in 2019. Also, it’s not like they were forcing a gun to his head to pitch.
Scherzer came out of the bullpen once this postseason, in a do-or-die Game 5, with a 1 run lead against the Giants who had the second most runs scored all year and 107 wins, and had already used Graterol, Knebel, Treinen, and Jansen. I don’t blame them for using Scherzer out of the pen.
You nailed it
That’s was the last case scenario. Wanna be armchair gms who talk with hindsight in their favor. What a joke
Lol what? A bug in a computer program? I do hope you are exaggerating. Scratch that. I know you are.
IIRC, he only came out of the pen once in the 2019 postseason, and that was for one inning in game 2 of the NLDS against the Dodgers.
Dave Roberts another stupid rotation decision should not have used Max for 1 inning against the giants.
A last case scenario? They started their setup guy, used Jansen in the 8th. He threw hardly any pitches. They had several choices.
@mlb1225, I respectfully disagree. The Giants offense was frozen and had been since game 1 of the DS. If Roberts managed his pen a little better and trusted his guys, he could’ve used Treinan in the 8th and Jansen in the 9th and very likely shut down the Giants without using Mad Max. It was unnecessary to use Scherzer in that spot and they’re paying for it now.
And all that happened because Julio didn’t go as deep as they had hoped. So the other balls got rolling earlier
You really wanted or expected LA to Trot out any of their average arms in a must win game against their most talented opponent of the playoffs?
Goodbye dudgers!
Wowwwwwwwwww. Who is going to pitch then? Walker pushed up a day?
Gonso has had pretty solid numbers as a starter. If they can get 3-5 from Cat Man and 1-2 from Price, they could be in good shape IF they put up some runs. Seems like a better bet than having Buehler pitch on short rest again.
Gonsolin lacks command a lot of times which results in a lot of free passes, short and uncertain outings. Don’t trust him. I’d put him in the only pitch if you have to. Same with Price. Dodgers don’t have a lot of good options if Scherzer can’t go at all game 6 or 7.
David Price to replace the injured Joe Kelly. That’s where I’m putting my hopes as a Nationals fan, in David Price? Crap…
I feel like on a team without a $300 million budget, Price would still undoubtedly be a high upside #3 starter. His issues with the Dodgers, besides injury, stem from having non-defined roles. People are saying that the Dodgers don’t have enough pitching depth this year. I say, if you have David Price coming out of your bullpen and that’s your excuse, that that’s a load of sh#t.
Still, I would never count out the Dodgers. After this news I bet Snitker and company are game planning right now.
You are very wise. As a Giants fan, I can tell you it’s always a mistake to count out the Dodgers.
Having said that, I’m definitely rooting for your Braves to close it out tomorrow.
Dodgers still have the best roster in MLB though.
But yeah. Go Braves.
You mean the best roster besides the Astros of course.
No. I attached no qualifiers or caveats.
Astros are not the best roster. Braves and LAD are better, with LAD being the best….this season. Beat ‘em Braves.
Go Yankees – [prepare for war] #2022BronxBombers
Look at the dodgers roster and Braves roster no way you can say the dodgers have the best. The Braves are way more powerful if a team
You have to be kidding. This may be the Braves year and congrats, if so. But, if both teams are at full strength, the Braves couldn’t carry the Dodgers luggage.
No one is at full strength in October.
What roster? Kershaw, muncy,turner & scherzer are injured. Depleted starters burn up the bullpen. Price sat out 2020 and hasn’t been lights out for a couple of years. Still got to beat them , but braves close this out tomorrow, just like closing Cleveland in game 6 1995.
Well the Braves are down Acuna, Soroka, and Ozuna too. Everybody has big names missing.
And they had a trade deadline to address those injuries to pick up Joc, Rosario, and Duvall. the Dodgers injuries happened very recently.
Not like the Dodgers. Plus, the Braves did not have a wild card game and rested after the Milwaukee series.
To be fair, the Dodgers flushed away a million dollars for a Cole Hamels autograph and wasted a minor leaguer for exactly zero appearances for Danny Duffy, so the Dodgers tried to address their pitching issues and somehow found a way to make them worse
Yeah, too many people saying it’s over. Seems to me those people must not have been watching baseball for very long. No outcome in baseball is predictable. All that can be stated categorically is that this is a disadvantage for the Dodgers, but no guarantee of a Braves win. I’m rooting for the Braves, but I won’t be surprised by a Dodger victory.
Bring Fernando Valenzuela out out the Spanish broadcast booth and put him on the mound.
Fernandomania Reloaded
I loved Fernando!
Go Braves though.
I actually have more confidence in the Braves hitting Max over their bullpen arms. The Dodgers have tier C turned Cy-young relievers coming out of the bullpen – at least the Braves bad offense makes them look good.
The series has essentially gone the opposite of how many expected. The games Braves were supposed to win, they lost and vice versa. It only makes sense for the series to be over at ATL. That way we all know the excuse for the Dodgers will be, “we shouldn’t be playing G6-7 in ATL.”
Braves gotta get this done. Please. Get it done!
Ian…I’ve been rocking your profile pic since the off-season started. Don’t disappoint me. You got this!
Price might be a option too.
What’s with Gonsolin this year? He was a big piece last year. Feel like I’ve hardly seen him this postseason. Looks like he was hurt looking at his stats, but has he just been off this year?
2021 Dodgers remind me of the 2020 Padres, they just ran out of pitchers
Happened to the Yanks in ’17 & ’19.
Just ran out of bullets.
Padres had Chris Paddack available but were scared to death of what the Dodgers would do to him
Man-up. I’ve watch playoff games since the late 60’s and have never seen a star pitcher, the night before the biggest game of the year claim “tired arm”. But…….2 – 4 innings of Max is better than alternatives, at the very least would be huge in a bullpen game.
Tired arm is not the same as a dead arm.
Max has gained the benefit of doubt. Him giving up the ball on game 2 was very telling of how he felt.
I don’t know what series you have been watching. The Dodgers bullpen is out of this world, and they all just had a day off. The Braves have done very well against Scherzer in the recent past and he is not 100%. As a Braves fan another Dodgers bullpen game terrifies me.
The nerds broke another pitcher. Shocking!
If the Braves win the series Dave Roberts should be the Braves MVP what he did to his pitching staff just makes no sense.
More times a player sees a pitcher in a short span the better the odds go to the batter. Also the more bullpen games you through the more chances of someone not having their best stuff happens.
The Braves are in the best spot they could be up 3-2 with Ian Anderson on full rest going; Jorge Soler back to make Atlanta have a big bench bat; playing at home with the home fans.
Game 6 goes to Atlanta and I would take any bets.
It actually makes a lot of sense. The Dodgers almost got away with winning two bullpen games in this series. The Braves generally stink against breaking pitches. They easily could lose this game.
Wonder if Gibson, Drysdale or Ryan ever said the “arm wasn’t feeling well” for the most crucial game of the year?
Not sure how it would matter. Kirk Gibson played first. Pretty light-throwing position.
I hope this was an attempt at trolling…
Bob Gibson
Gibson played mostly LF for the Dodgers. Never played 1B in MLB career.
FYI Gibson played the outfield
That’s a wrap. This team is a walking ICU.
If this report is true it really is amazing. Scherzer is supposed to be old school. If he doesn’t man up he’s an embarrassment to the game.
I always wonder what the dumbest comment I’ll read on here each day is. Congratulations. You win today.
Lol. Okay doc. Thanks for the backhanded compliment. I guess you bleed blue like ole #2.
Not at all. I just think you made a really stupid comment that you didn’t mean. You clearly don’t think Scherzer is a “disgrace to the game”. Just another, what can I say for attention guy. Shame on me for indulging you. Go to sleep.
Shame on Max if he passes on pitching one of the biggest games of his life, and one so important to the Dodgers because of a dead arm. Not just that but he makes millions to be ready no matter what. I don’t like your smart mouth doc but you’re free to express your opinions just like me. And oh yea, you don’t know me. I just love baseball and have all my life. I don’t like to see it cheapened any more than it it. If Max doesn’t pitch because of a dead arm he’s weak and so is anyone that supports him in his weak decision.
Ok troll.
If Max Scherzer says he can’t go, he can’t go. He’s not being “weak”. If this is your opinion of people, than you’re the weak one. He’s going to the Hall Of Fame. You’re an internet troll. Not wasting anymore time on you, so fire away.
Just like Sandy Koufax did and then retired a year later because his arm fell off? Scherzer is definitely the coward here.
If Scherzer isn’t healthy enough to pitch, the smart, appropriate, selfless, team player thing to do is to let your manager know and not move forward and be the reason your team doesn’t go to the World Series. Are you drunk? High? I am a Braves fan and I wish Scherzer was a selfish gung-ho moron who was stupid enough to start with a dead arm. The Braves have beaten him several times when he was 100%. The Dodgers entire incredibly solid deep bullpen just had a day off. Another bullpen game scares me way more than Scherzer at this point. Sober up buddy.
Okay doctor weakling.
If he gets hurt (being a free agent) needs surgery he misses 1 1/2 years recovering, he loses 60-70 million all over one game. Not worth it
Max’s biggest game of his life was Game 7 of the 2019 world series. Missed his game 5 start due to neck spasms.
Barely: now you are doubling down on your stupid comment.
Scherzer must be really hurting to not take the ball it is going hurt his free agent earnings as there will be questions
He’ll be good and rested for game 1 of the World Series.
Man, don’t say that. Probably right though. Too many good players to count them out.
Got to get there first
Lordd99; all the dodgers will be good and rest too and watching Houston and Atlanta in game one
Notice it doesn’t say he won’t pitch. Says he won’t start.
Doesn’t make sense as the Dodgers aren’t going to burn 1 of their 2 lefties not named Julio Urias. If the Dodgers start a lefty Soler plays for Joc and leads off
Price starts. Game dictates when/if Scherzer takes the mound as part of bullpen game.
It’s the dodgers. Expected
really pulling for Atlanta vs Houston. Id find a certain appeal to either winning.
Welp Dodgers are toast. Hopefully the Braves can take out the Astros in the WS so we don’t have to listen to their fans rationalize their cheating.
Read Oakland pitchers comments today and quit complaining
Astros vs. Braves would be an interesting World Series I’ll agree. I still see the Astros with the upper hand, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the Braves become a similar version of the 2019 Nationals and won it all.
You never count out the Dodgers with their hitting lineup and bullpen. I don’t see where it says Scherzer is not going to pitch at all, so maybe they move up Buehler. Braves don’t need to think about whether Scherzer is pitching or not, they need to execute and win a game irrespective of who is pitching. Anderson is no sure thing to go long into the game, but if he can get out of the first then he may go really well.
The Giants were dead and they bring out Scherzer to close the 9th. You have to sense when you really need the top gun
Urias and Kelly also mismanaged this series.
Can’t really blame Roberts. The FO gives him a sheet of paper with the plan on it. They might still win, but the series has been botched badly by the FO, and by using Scherzer in the 9th vs the Giants
Camden453;
If the dodgers were going okay games like this bullpen etc and ignore they should have went out and got more lock down bullpen arms to shorten the games
Right. The Dodgers don’t have enough good bullpen arms. Not sure what you’ve been watching. The Dodgers have the deepest most solid bullpen I have ever seen.
Lebzet; if the dodgers have the deepest bullpen than why are they using Urias and Scherzer in non starting roles?? Why was Scherzer needed to close a game out??
What I am watching is a pitching staff of the dodgers that is starting relievers; using starters in roles as relief that they didn’t do at all during the regular season. Why use a 20 game winner in Urias in relief?? This is a over worked bullpen by the dodgers that are being to get crazy number of outs. Would have been great to have starters like Urias go 5 innings and only ask the bullpen to get 12 outs instead of all 27 outs multiple times in one series
@Camden
You do realize that if the Dodgers had lost the game that Scherzer pitched in the ninth, they would be home watching on TV. I hope my favorite team gets mismanaged like that! They WON!
Houston is waiting
The Dodgers are afraid to play the Astros again.
Houston Cheatstros
Of course they are greenWood. Of course they are.
I’m so drunk and happy right now. Go Astros.
You would think the Players Union would step in and spread these games out as the dead arm is not what you want to announce to the press.
2-2-1-1-1 for all three rounds of the playoffs.
27 man rosters.
Wild card is the loser flip as in Korea.
Dave frost nhlpa
It’s not the games format that caused dead arm it was the way the dodgers used their pitchers. Using starting a as relievers than thinking they would be fine to pitch on short rest. Relief be starting how different game. Starters focus on the game all day long etc. and fully warmed up etc.
I think the blame is dodgers if thy were going run out of relief and have to use starters they should have gotten more bullpen help during the trade deadline.
As it was the dodgers won a whole lot of games
with starters used like normal than got into the post season and changed everything up. Just poor management and over thinking
Doing so potentially doubles the amount of travel days off and lengthens a potential seven games in 9 days to seven games in 11 days. With the additional days off teams would conceivably be able to use their best starters 3 times in the series, thus negating the entire point of your proposal. The problem is using starters in relief in-between starts after a long season will wear down anyone. The Red Sox rode Eovaldi and Price hard in the ’18 postseason and suffered for it the following year. Some guys just break down sooner rather than later
Any or all players in the post season are playing longer then last year. With a short season most players are looking exhausted.
Congratulations to the Houston Astros on a fantastic accomplishment. After all the scrutiny, it must be incredibly satisfying to return to the World Series. They came through when it mattered most. It’s a positive story. Enough with the “cheater” comments. Let the past stay in the past. As a Dodger fan, I never cared much about that stuff. My team went to the World Series in 2017 and had a great season. For me, nothing will ever detract from that enjoyable summer.
For the miss management of his pitching staff to really show and be talked about Atlanta has to come up with the win. If Atlanta looses the talk will be about how Dave Roberts patched together his pitchers to win. If the Braves win the dodgers are going take so much heat over off season about not starting starting pitchers in game 1 etc
Exactly. They seem to like the Chokelanta narrative better.
37 years old and suffering from a dead arm at the worst possible time. Wonder if that will effect Max’s free agency in any way
You can bet Scherzer wanted the ball in the ninth inning for that very reason. Unfortunate circumstances but he’s pitched out of the bullpen in October before. Ideally, it would have been Treinen in the eighth and Jansen in the ninth. I’m a huge fan of Roberts as a manager but felt funny about that at the time.
This situation possibly adds to what figures to be an uneasy winter for the Dodgers. With Kasten having thrown Friedman under the bus for his Bauer vetting, I’m wondering what the full fallout from that situation might be. At this point, nothing would surprise me. One way or another, there figures to be a shuffling of the deck both on-field and off.
The Bauer signing was odd to me in that it wasn’t a typical Friedman move. My problem with it was not Bauer’s character, but giving the highest AAV contract to an outsider on a team that just won a championship. I get wanting more pitching. But with hindsight being 20/20, there will be people saying the Dodgers would have beenm better off keeping Joc and Keekay. It’s weird how things sometimes turn out.
The Bauer signing was knee jerk reacting to all the moves the Padres made and the moves the Giants made. The ridiculous $40+ million per season price tag with the opt-outs was essentially designed to be a one year deal with the hope Bauer would have a great year and then opt out. I don’t think Friedman, Kasten, or anyone else on the Dodgers believed they would actually be paying him for three years. They still may not have to, but we will have to wait and see
All that was said is that he won’t start maybe he will come in later in the game
Biggest game of the year tonight, and they can’t use Max! Roberts is gonna have to get super creative or there will be no game tomorrow. If Game 6 turns into a battle of the bats, I like LA’s chances in that scenario. Still holding out hope Max will find a way to win a game. If not tonight, then a winner-take-all Game 7.
Dodgers are toast
Yes, a champagne toast!
Losing Max may not matter if the bats can stay hot. Can Turner, Seager, Taylor, Pollock, Smith and/or Bellinger possibly carry the team the next two days?
The Dodgers every year win the division and then forget how they got there. Friedman and Co. start using a “ opener.” They have wasted Urias a 20 game winner. They just get to cute. Oh and another thing when you play a 40% season it isn’t a real World Series. It is a $$$ grab for baseball
@cryptonerd
“They always dominate…”
One 1/2 season ring in 33 years. Always dominating!
It was a 3/8 season
Dudgers suck, get over it
rigger – Seriously, how can you say that when you look at their performance over the past 5 seasons? I’m not a Dodgers fan but am mature enough to recognize their dominant playing in the past several years. Choose to grow up.
All that matters is one title with an asterisk despite that enormous payroll. Get over it
I’ll spoon feed you the data. The Dodgers won the NL West in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. They won the NL pennant 2017, 2018, 2020. They won the WS in the shortened 2020 (asterisk if you like). And a wildcard spot 2021.
Again, I’m not a Dodgers fan. But facts matter. To suggest the Dodgers suck with those stats just shows your immaturity and pride to not admit you are wrong.
Could Price get the start? Just got recalled to the postseason roster.
Anyone that has said on this board that the “Dodgers are done” should give up following baseball, because you just haven’t got a clue. That’s all.
Fred McGriff;
Remember 2020 when all the bullpen innings caught up to the Braves relief staff?? At what point does that catch up to the dodgers.
I don’t think you can put the innings the dodgers did on their bullpen and expect the lights out results every night.
@Benjamin101677
I’ll tell you on this board when the Dodgers are done, that will be if and when the Braves win another game. Then I’ll say the Braves finally did it, until such time, it’s still a solid Dodgers hitting lineup that can rack up runs and keep the line moving. You never know what can happen in this game, and none of us know if Scherzer is done or not.
@Fred:
I agree 1oo%. It’s like when Acuna went down and everyone said the Braves were done.
This Dodgers team can hit. Even if their pitchers struggle, the offense can still put 5-10 runs on the board on any given night. And I wouldn’t count out their pitchers. The pen has had a day to rest, and they have a ton of good relievers. Scherzer being out improves the Braves’ chances, but it doesn’t guarantee anything.
Cryptonerd;
I will say this the dodgers had a good season; but I think the Braves season was more exciting coming from third place in August to win the division. So many people viewed the Braves for the whole season and didn’t see the huge change after the all star break total different team.
I think just by the odds only that the luck has to catch up to the dodgers at some point. Can the dodger really pull off 6 elimination games two years in a row against the Braves?? I would take the Braves odds of winning bet everyday.
It gets harder with Kelly; Muncy and Turner done for the post season plus Scherzer not 100% the dodgers having to go to Atlanta and either pitching a bullpen game or a total wild card in what David Price could bring you. With Atlanta with two solid pitchers lined up on normal days rest to be faced.
Baseball just like life is a humbling sport game 4 Eddie Rosario couldn’t make a out; game 5 Chris Taylor was on fire.
I predict the Braves to win game 6 behind a strong start from Ian Anderson; home crowd into the game and the pressure and stress of all the innings the bullpen threw this series catching up to the dodgers. Much like 2020 when all the innings got up with the Braves bullpen in game 6
Game 1 dodgers bullpen did 9 innings
Game 2 dodgers bullpen did 4.2 innings
Game 3 dodgers bullpen did 5.1 innings
Game 4 dodgers bullpen did 4 innings
Game 5 dodgers bullpen did 9 innings
Starters have only done about 12 innings in 5 games. This amounts to major innings on a bullpen. So with game 6 the 2 most likely options are;
David Price who was 5-2 with a 4.03 ERA and hasn’t pitched since the end of the regular season. Almost 3 weeks
or
Total bullpen game have to get 9 innings; minus Joe Kelly who is done for the season and Justin Bruihl who is hurting enough that the dodgers have brought another pitcher with them to Atlanta in case he has to be replaced.
This scenario is why just like Atlanta in 2020 I believe the Dodgers bullpen will collapse just like Atlanta did last year and be unable to be perfect 2 games in a row
Ouch. If Bruihl is out they’re bringing either Mitch White or Andre Jackson. Add Gonsolin and Price and that’s three bullpen arms that I would not feel very confident in battling the Braves. At least one if not two of those three would have to pitch if Scherzer can’t go. Unless they bring Buehler off three days rest. Front office and Roberts will get shelled if Buehler is used and doesn’t pitch well.
Sometimes ya just gotta go with what you have. If that’s Buehler, then so be it. After all, there ain’t no tomorrow if LA loses tonight. All hands on deck and all stops pulled out. Oh, and a rabbit out of the hat would be nice, too.
Most teams would be so lucky as to have Buehler as their backup option?
Chris Taylor will pitch. He will throw a no-hitter and hit three more home runs.
As an Astros fan, I just want the NLCS to go seven games. Preferably with extra innings.
Game day! Braves Country get out your tomahawks and rock your Pearls. Battle!!!!!!!!
I hope it’s nothing serious.
Price will probably come in and throw six shutout innings.
If the offense hits like the other day. It won’t matter who pitches.
If the Dodgers win it will be in spite of Dave Roberts. He has done an absolutely terrible Job of abusing is starting pitchers.
I’m fine with the seven-game format with the two off days. What I don’t like is the fact that one league gets an extra scheduled rest day between the CS and the WS. That doesn’t seem fair. When you get to the CS, both leagues should play on the same days.
No Scherzer, Kershaw, Bauer, May, Kelly, Muncy, Taylor…. No big deal. Just keep winning.
Pretty much.
Or go home.
would be great to see a complete Braves roster too
LA still has CY Buehler, Betts, Bellli, Trey T, Seager, 4 other position players that would start on most teams, and the best bullpen money can buy, no need to pity their fate.
lmao go look up the dodgers bullpen salaries. Best money can buy? Hyperbole much.
More like best a player development machine can produce
So it says Buehler is starting v Anderson. If the Dodgers happen to win GM6 watch Scherzer’s arm regain feeling to pitch GM7. as there’s nothing like an injection of excitement into that arm.
Fitting Scherzer’s last act as a Dodger might be to say he can’t pitch
So it says Buehler is starting v Anderson. If the Dodgers happen to win GM6 watch Scherzer’s arm regain feeling to pitch GM7, as there’s nothing like an injection of adrenaline into that arm.
Double post accident.
Advantage Braves…sure but they still have to win the game. Those Dodgers bats have been heating up consistently more and more. Snitker continues to botch his in game management decisions. Braves fan since they were a last place club in the 80’s
Snitker needs to
be replaced.
There will no doubt be a spot in this game where small ball should be the approach and he will fail again. The Braves vs Dodgers and their manager = complete crap shoot. Braves bats need to show up big because the manager is inept in his decisions….Go Braves
Sooo happy for the Braves!!
Imagine Drysdale opting out of a championship series game because his arm was tired. Not structurally damaged but tired. I’m done with Scherzer and don’t want him back in a Dodgers uniform next season.
I’d take him on the Braves any day, if they could afford him.
No one ever seems to realize how hard it must be for a man with that pride and competitive spirit to say “I can’t.” The only reason he would do so is because he felt he couldn’t be effective, thereby damaging his team’s chance of success.
I don’t have a horse in the race at this point but I have to respect Scherzer for doing the right thing.
We have been gifted with some great playoff baseball.
There’s absolutely no way I’d sign Scherzer at his age and be strapped with his lucrative contract while he stands at the dugout rail every game because his arm feels dead.
His relief appearance NEVER made sense in the big picture. In fact it made no sense using any Dodgers starter in relief. They have a top 3 bullpen!!! It’s not the same as the Nats riding the starters to a championship. They had one of the worst bullpen in the league. STUPID!! This is what happens to the bean counters in the playoffs.
Nothing about the way Roberts handled the pitching staff this entire postseason made sense.
Max Scherzer won’t be starting Game 7.
Hard to beat those Stros with that stacked lineup, but Go the Braves. LFG.
Eddie Rosario must be signed without fail.
I’m still on a high that the Braves finally made it to the World Series. People are starting to talk about next year already? I will say this, Acuna will be down until at least June if they are smart, no one knows what will happen with Ozuna he was placed on Admin leave through the end of the season and still faces possible suspension for who knows how long. So they will need OF help. Let’s just enjoy now and bring the WS title to the A!!!!
He won’t be starting game seven, either.
Wow, how soft is Scherzer!! His backing out of the most important game of the season because his poor arm was tired shows the softness of today’s players. Sorry, but Mad Max should now be Mad Maxine. He showed himself to be nothing more than a girly man. Anyone who gives him any real money would be crazy. He wimps out when the pressure is one. didn’t want to take the chance of having another choke game like he had when the games were on the line. Bye Bye Maxine.