by Cary Osborne
The Dodgers have fully embraced the non-traditional.
One day away from their win-or-go-home Game 5 of the National League Division Series, they haven’t announced who their starter will be.
“I haven’t finalized it,” said manager Dave Roberts. “Obviously I’m sure Yoshinobu (Yamamoto) will be a part of it. How we will deploy the relievers around it, if that’s the case, I just don’t know.”
But what about starter Jack Flaherty?
“Yeah, he’ll be a part of it,” Roberts said. “I don’t know how that would come into play. But I think, again, in an elimination game, I think everyone should be a part of the plan.”
Could a bullpen game be part of the plan?
“It is an option,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers could go with an opener, then turn the ball over to Yamamoto.
“Those are things we’re talking through. I said it, I think, yesterday after the game. We have six or seven relievers available. So I feel good about the relief kind of coverage,” Roberts said.
If Yamamoto is indeed the centerpiece of the plan, ideally the right-handed starting pitcher would take a bulk of the innings for the Dodgers. And if the entire plan revolves around the bullpen bookending this game, Game 4 further proved what the Dodgers already knew — they can handle it.
The Dodgers have used an opener or bullpen game 11 times this season, including the postseason. They are 7–4 in the games with a 2.91 ERA. They have allowed three runs or fewer in eight of the games.
Yamamoto has seen the Padres three times this season — two times very early (March 21 and April 12) and again in Game 1 of the NLDS. He has allowed five, two and three earned runs in the first innings of those games.
Twice, the Dodgers thought he was tipping pitches — the March 21 and NLDS games.
“I think we’ve cleaned stuff up,” Roberts said. “And, to their credit, they did a good job scouting and stuff like that. But I think, overall, kind of where Yoshinobu is at, I feel really comfortable.”
The Dodgers have the confidence, though, that if Yamamoto does get into trouble, the Dodgers have numerous high-leverage — here’s that word again — options.
Anthony Banda, Daniel Hudson, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia have allowed no earned runs in a combined 15 2/3 innings in this series.
NLDS: The key word for the Dodgers in regards to pitching in Game 5 is options was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.