With the regular season winding to a close, the Los Angeles Dodgers are on the verge of clinching their 10th National League West division title in the past 11 seasons.
They have almost nothing left to play for, so the Dodgers are beginning to plan for the playoffs with the biggest question among them being what will their rotation look like.
With Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and Julio Urías all unavailable and Clayton Kershaw pitching through an injury, the Dodgers have relied on rookie Bobby Miller to help lead their staff. Miller has turned in impressive results after being rushed to the Major League level and that has caught the eye of the organization.
The Dodgers still have to figure out their rotation come October, but manager Dave Roberts said it’s likely Miller will be on the mound for Game 1 or 2 of NL Division Series, per Shane Lantz of the Southern California News Group:
“I think it’s very realistic where we’re at right now, that he’ll start one of the first two games,” Roberts said. “I think the strike-throwing, the quality of pitches, we’ve got a really good sample of now. So I think for us, it’s just seeing that level of consistency. Obviously, the stuff is there, the ability to get left and right out, now you sort of layer in his mound presence, being able to limit damage, getting the first hitter out, and all those kinds of things.”
Miller has posted somewhat inconsistent results, but that is to be expected from any rookie. But with his electric stuff and presence on the mound, the Dodgers are betting that will play up in the brightest moment.
As a fiery competitor, the 24-year-old has more recently focused on controlling his emotions on the mound, which will be important in the postseason.
“Just not get too high when things are going good,” Miller said. “Just try to hold my energy and stay composed out there. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low.”
He also earned the praise of Walker Buehler, who has made a name for himself as a big game pitcher and is often a comp for Miller.
The right-hander has posted a 10-3 record with a 4.02 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 99 strikeouts across 107.1 innings this season. However, most of the damage he’s allowed has come later in his starts, which could set him up for dominant yet shorter outings down the line.
Dodgers rotation alongside Bobby Miller
During the NLDS, the Dodgers only need to find two other starters to pair with Miller, which should help them as their staff isn’t deep with options.
Although Kershaw is pitching injured, he is still expected to start in the postseason. Pairing him with Ryan Pepiot would also make some sense, unless Pepiot is also a member of the rotation.
However, it seems the final start is likely to go to Lance Lynn, who has been up and down in his time with the Dodgers. During Lynn’s struggles, Roberts expressed continued support for the veteran in a postseason role.
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