Manager Don Mattingly ended any potential drama about his NLDS Game 4 starter before Game 3 even started on Monday. Regardless of the outcome or the Dodgers circumstances going into Tuesday's game against the New York Mets, Clayton Kershaw will get the ball despite being on three days rest.
The decision comes as no real surprise. Mattingly has gone to his ace on short rest in each of the Dodgers last two NL division series appearances. The results have been split. In 2013, Kershaw led the Dodgers to a series win over the Atlanta Braves with six quality innings. In 2014, Kershaw allowed three runs over six innings as the Dodgers were eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals.
In Game 1 of this series, Kershaw was on the losing end of a historical pitcher's duel. In seven innings, he struck out 11 batters while opponent Jacob deGrom struck out 13. The Mets are still expected to go with Steven Matz in Game 4.
When asked why he was going to that well again in 2015, Mattingly had a simple response.
No sir, you don't have to explain why you'd want to have baseball's best pitcher over the past five seasons primed and ready to start a potential do-or-die game. With the series tied at 1-1, that's the position the Dodgers could easily find themselves in. On Monday, they'll send Brett Anderson to the hill against Matt Harvey in a matchup that clearly favors the Mets.
Of course, if the Dodgers win on Monday night, then Tuesday becomes a potential closeout situation. That's also a good spot to have Kershaw pitching.
The key here though is what this would mean for a potential Game 5. With Kershaw going on Tuesday, that would allow Zack Greinke to start on normal rest on Thursday. What it essentially does is maximize the Dodgers usage of their top two starters, which is critical considering how thin their rotation is behind them. With Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jun Ryu both long lost for the season, the only options are Anderson and Alex Wood.
Yes, Kershaw has had his share of postseasons ups and downs, but based on his credentials and the options available, he's still the guy you want on the hill when your season is on the line.
No comments:
Post a Comment