The Los Angeles Dodgers remain in the midst of a close National League West race, and they will head to San Francisco to take on the division-rival Giants to close out the regular season after finishing up a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
As they’ve worked to erase a deficit in the NL West standings and continue closing in on a potential postseason series, the Dodgers have rearranged their starting rotation multiple times to make sure they have their best available for the most important games.
Rich Hill, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 22, was in line to start the series finale against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, but Ross Stripling instead started in his place.
It appears Hill won’t be pitching in the Giants series either as Hyun-Jin Ryu, Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler will be starting those games instead, via Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
The Dodgers are skipping Rich Hill this weekend. The rotation will be Ryu, Kershaw and Buehler.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) September 25, 2018
Since Hill will be well rested, he could potentially be available out of the bullpen during the series against the Giants. It also could mean that he would be the Dodgers’ starter if they required a Game 163 to decide the division, or if they were forced to play in the NL Wild Card Game.
Overall in 24 games (23 starts) this season, Hill is 10-5 with a 3.87 ERA, 4.11 FIP and 1.17 WHIP with 143 strikeouts and 41 walks in 125.2 innings.
With both Kershaw and Buehler making their final starts of the season over the weekend, that would put them in line to be ready for Games 1 and 2 of the NL Division Series if the Dodgers wind up making it to the postseason.
