The Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation became an immense strength for the team during the second half of the regular season and that’s carried over into the playoffs thus far.
Although the Dodgers faced the challenge of beginning their World Series title defense in the Wild Card Series by virtue of having the third-best record among National League division champions, they took some solace in having a healthy rotation for October.
That allowed the Dodgers an opportunity to set their starting pitchers as desired for the best-of-three against the Cincinnati Reds, and Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were instrumental in a sweep at Dodger Stadium.
It put the Dodgers into the NL Division Series for a 13th year in a row, where the Philadelphia Phillies awaited them.
Dodgers starting pitchers for NLDS 2025
Game 1: Shohei Ohtani
By virtue of sweeping the Reds, the Dodgers were able to easily bump back Shohei Ohtani’s postseason pitching debut to Game 1 of the NLDS.
There had been some thought Ohtani was lined up to start Game 1 against the Reds, but the Dodgers instead held off. That was partly due to potentially pitching in a winner-take-all Game 3 being followed by an off day in the schedule.
The Dodgers now have the same luxury due to a quirk in the NLDS schedule that includes a day off between Games 1 and 2.
Game 2: Blake Snell
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Snell is scheduled to start against the Phillies in Game 2 of the NLDS. With that not being played until Monday, Snell is receiving five days of rest before taking the mound at Citizens Bank Park.
Game 3: Yoshinobu Yamamoto
The Dodgers theoretically could have opted to go with Yamamoto in Game 2 on traditional MLB rest, but that’s not a schedule they’ve implemented with their Japanese phenom.
Game 4: Tyler Glasnow
Tyler Glasnow was in the Dodgers bullpen for the duration of the Wild Card Series, and is going to begin the NLDS in that role as well.
Roberts indicated Glasnow is going to be available as a reliever for Game 1, with the presumption an appearance would be short and in place of a between-starts bullpen session. That then would still allow for Glasnow to start a potential Game 4 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium.
Game 5: TBD
Roberts did not yet name a Dodgers starter if the Dodgers and Phillies extend the NLDS to a winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday, Oct. 11.
However, there are two clear options available.
Ohtani could make the start on six days of rest, or the Dodgers could turn to Snell on traditional MLB rest (four days). If Ohtani, then Snell conceivably would be an option to pitch out of the bullpen.
But if the Dodgers do need to exhaust both pitchers, that would leave them swimming uphill a bit in the event of advancing to the NL Championship Series. Of course, that would be a welcomed problem as it entails still being alive in pursuit of repeating as World Series champions.
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