The Los Angeles Dodgers took care of business on Sunday afternoon, defeating the San Francisco Giants, 15-0, to finish the season at 91-71.
The Colorado Rockies also convincingly beat the Washington Nationals to finish with the same record, setting up a Game 163 at Dodger Stadium on Monday afternoon to decide the National League West champion.
Rich Hill started Sunday’s game for the Dodgers as they wanted to save rookie sensation Walker Buehler for this exact scenario. After the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced that Buehler will, in fact, start Monday’s game against the Rockies, via Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
Walker Buehler will start Game 163.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) September 30, 2018
In 23 games (22 starts) this season, Buehler is 7-5 with a 2.76 ERA, 2.98 FIP and 0.98 WHIP while striking out 148 and walking 34 in 130.2 innings. He started against the Rockies five times, going 0-1 with a 2.61 ERA and 0.97 WHIP.
The last time he faced Colorado at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 19, when Buehler turned in one of his best starts of the season. In six innings, he allowed just three hits and two unearned runs while striking out a career-high 12 batters.
Because it is a Game 163 and technically not a postseason game, both teams will have the luxury of their entire 40-man active rosters available for the matchup.
The likely starter for the Rockies is right-hander German Marquez, although with both teams having expanded rosters, the respective starters will likely be on short leashes.
With the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers also set to play a Game 163 for the NL Central title, the loser of the Dodgers and Rockies game will face the loser of that contest in the Wild Card Game on Tuesday.
Winning the division puts the Dodgers in a much better spot for the postseason as they would then host the Atlanta Braves in the NL Division Series as opposed to having to travel to either Chicago or Milwaukee for a win-or-go home situation.
