The Los Angeles Dodgers conclude the regular season with a three-game weekend series against the Colorado Rockies, and will rely on a bullpen game to get through the finale on Sunday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not name a designated starter.
Hyun-Jin Ryu will start the series opener, and Clayton Kershaw takes the ball Saturday. Yu Darvish and Alex Wood were believed to be options to start in the final game of the regular season.
Not only is that not taking place, Roberts said neither will pitch during the series. Darvish and Wood will instead each throw a simulated game or bullpen session in the coming days, but not at Coors Field.
Wood’s postseason role has not yet been decided, though if it were up to the southpaw, he would remain part of the rotation. He remains a plausible candidate to shift to the bullpen.
Both teams could still have plenty of reason to play when the series begins. For the Dodgers, they might still be looking to secure home-field advantage through the World Series. A Cleveland Indians’ loss on Thursday would check that box off.
If not, the Dodgers could guarantee themselves homefield for the entire playoffs with one win in the series. Los Angeles will begin their quest for a championship by first facing the winner of the NL Wild Card Game.
The Rockies remain 2.5 games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers, and 3.5 in front of the St. Louis Cardinals for the second Wild Card spot. The Arizona Diamondbacks have already clinched the top see and will host the one-game playoff.
