With the Los Angeles Dodgers dropping a second consecutive game to the San Francisco Giants, the Washington Nationals clinched home-field advantage in the National League Division Series. Games 1 and 2 will be played at Nationals Park on Friday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 8, respectively.
If necessary, the Nationals will also host Game 5 on Thursday, Oct. 13. Games 1-3 will air on FOX Sports 1 or MLB Network. FOX Sports 1 will carry Games 4 and 5, should the series extend to that point. Start times have not yet been announced.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts previously named Clayton Kershaw his starter for Game 1, and he’ll be followed by Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda in the postseason rotation.
Nationals manager Dusty Baker has not revealed his NLDS rotation, which is expected to be without Stephen Strasburg as he’s saddled by a strained flexor mass in his right elbow. Max Scherzer is scheduled to start Sunday, leaving him on track to take the ball in Game 1 on regular rest.
Washington is 49-31 at home this season, with a final contest remaining at Nationals Park on Sunday. The Dodgers are 38-42 away from Chavez Ravine, and conclude their regular-season slate at AT&T Park on Sunday.
In their past three trips to the NLDS, the Dodgers advanced to the NL Championship Series in 2013, when they didn’t have home-field advantage in the first round. They were eliminated at Dodger Stadium by the New York Mets in Game 5 of the NLDS.
Washington had homefield for the NLDS in 2012 and 2014, and lost both series. They were eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals in five games in 2012, and lost in four games to the San Francisco Giants in their last trip to the postseason.
In 1981, the Dodgers advanced to the World Series after defeating the Montreal Expos in five games in the NLCS.
