The Los Angeles Dodgers were shut out for a second time in the National League Division Series and now are one loss away from having their season come to an end.
Clayton Kershaw being lost to injury was a significant development for the starting rotation, and now the club faces a challenging decision for their Game 4 starter.
“I think we’ve got to circle up as a group,” answered Dodgers manager Dave Roberts when asked who would take the mound Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. “What I will say is everything is on the table.”
The possibilities include potentially having Walker Buehler start on short rest for the first time in his career. “Everything is on the table,” Roberts reiterated.
Should Buehler make the start, he would do so four days after throwing 99 pitches over 6.1 innings and taking the loss in Game 1 at Oracle Park.
If the Dodgers were ahead 2-1 in the NLDS, they presumably would have moved forward with a plan that largely centered around Tony Gonsolin in Game 4. Nevertheless, Gonsolin said he would pitch Tuesday “at some point.”
Considering Buehler would be starting on short rest for the first time, it stands to reason he could serve as an opener of sorts. Gonsolin then would be among the options available out of the bullpen.
If the plan proves to be successful, Julio Urias could then start a winner-take-all Game 5 on regular rest Thursday.
Dodgers keeping daily focus
The Dodgers don’t need to look far for an example of staving off elimination. They did so last week in the NL Wild Card Game, and of course on three consecutive days after falling down to the Atlanta Braves in the NL Championship Series last year.
“Just win [Tuesday],” Roberts said of his message. “Everything is on the table and our focus has to turn to [Tuesday] and whatever it takes to win. And then we’ll kind of pick up the pieces after that.”
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