The Los Angeles Dodgers staved off elimination in Game 4 of the National League Division Series behind a collective offensive showing and dominant bullpen that shut out the San Diego Padres.
That has set the stage for a winner-take-all Game 5 at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. In starting Dylan Cease on short rest in Game 4, the Padres had already committed to Yu Darvish as their probable starter if they failed to close out the NLDS at home.
Padres manager Mike Shildt confirmed after his team’s Game 4 loss that remains their plan.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have the option of starting Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Jack Flaherty. The flexibility available to them was one reason behind switching the order of their starters in Games 1 and 2 of the NLDS.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was first to indicate the club was leaning toward Flaherty starting their first playoff game of the year. General manager Brandon Gomes then reiterated that stance.
But two days before Game 1, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman announced the change to Yamamoto.
Dodgers bullpen game repeated?
Not long after perfectly orchestrating a bullpen game, Roberts said the Dodgers are still evaluating their options for a Game 5 starter.
“Fortunately tonight we were very efficient as far as our ‘pen, which was great. So we’ve got some options. I think that we could run the same playbook back and run a bullpen game,” he said.
“We can start Jack. We could start Yoshinobu. So [Thursday] we’ve got a workout from 4:00 to 6:00, and it will give us a chance to talk to the relievers and see how everybody’s feeling. But right now no Game 5 starter.”
Dodgers starting pitchers combined to give up 15 runs over 15.1 innings through the first three games of the NLDS. Though in Buehler’s case, some of that can be attributed to sloppy defense in a woeful inning.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers bullpen is in the midst of 15 consecutive scoreless innings.
“It’s a good thought, obviously,” answered Roberts when asked if a bullpen game is the Dodgers’ best option for Game 5.
“Just kind of knowing they’re efficient, but also just checking in on those guys to see how they feel is kind of the thing we want to make sure before we make a decision.”
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