Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — The Dodgers were playing it pretty close to the vest all weekend about who the starting pitcher for Game One of the NLDS would be. But at the pre-series press availability on Monday, Dave Roberts finally spilled the beans.
“Julio’s going to start Game One,” the Dodgers’ skipper said, “Clayton will get Game Two and will figure it out from there how to navigate through Games Three and Four.”
The move makes all kinds of sense. Julio Urias has one more day of rest than the veteran Kershaw, which would allow him to bounce back and pitch Game Five better if need be. And with Mike Clevinger on the mound for the Friars, it’s really critical to get that first win under the Dodgers’ belt before running the gauntlet of Darvish, Snell, and Musgrove in Games 2, 3, and 4.
“I think for us,” Roberts continued, “you could essentially flip a coin (between Urias and Kershaw). They’re both aces in our eyes. I just think Julio’s been fantastic for us all year, and kind of making that decision to give him that opportunity, we all felt good about it.”
And what about the future Hall of Famer? Is his nose out of joint not getting the start usually reserved for the ace of the staff? Not at all. “Clayton feels good about starting Game Two,” Roberts said.
So that would probably mean that Tyler Anderson would get Game Three, and if necessary, some combination of Tony Gonsolin, Andrew Heaney, et al would get Saturday’s game in San Diego before the rotation would get back to Urias for a deciding game back in Dodger Stadium if necessary.
Here we go.
