The Los Angeles Dodgers cruised past the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, earning their second straight trip to the World Series. Los Angeles overwhelmed the Brewers with one of the greatest pitching performances in postseason history. The Dodgers’ rotation was essentially flawless in the four-game sweep, making Dave Roberts’ World Series pitching plan a no-brainer.
The Dodgers manager already announced the starters for Games 1 and 2 against the Toronto Blue Jays. Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will reprise their roles from the NLCS. On Thursday Roberts confirmed that he would stick with his Championship Series plan in full for the Fall Classic. Tyler Glasnow will take the mound in Game 3 and Shohei Ohtani will get the ball in Game 4, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
It’s difficult to overstate just how dominant the Dodgers’ starting pitching was in the NLCS. Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow and Ohtani combined to allow just two runs in four games. The quartet gave up nine hits and racked up 35 strikeouts in 28.2 innings against the Brewers.
The rotation made history, combining for a 0.63 ERA in four NLCS games. It’s the lowest ERA by a starting rotation in Championship Series history.
Dodgers decide on NLCS rotation repeat for World Series
Snell got the Dodgers started in Game 1, giving up just one hit while striking out 10 batters in eight innings. The lone baserunner he allowed was erased by a caught stealing, so Snell faced the minimum. It was the first time since 1956 that a pitcher faced the minimum through eight innings in a postseason game.
Yamamoto followed Snell’s tone setter by tossing a complete game, allowing just one run. Glasnow continued his career resurgence by holding the Brewers to one run in 5.2 innings. And then Ohtani had, arguably, the greatest game ever played. The NLCS MVP threw six scoreless innings while striking out 10 batters. He also hit three home runs.
Pat Murphy’s strategy of countering the Dodgers’ elite rotation by starting relief pitcher Aaron Ashby twice in the four-game series didn’t pan out. While no team can compete with the rotation Los Angeles has assembled, the Blue Jays at least have four starters they trust in Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage and Max Scherzer.
Yesavage is slated to face Snell in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday. The rookie has one more career postseason start (3) than Snell has Cy Young Awards (2). The Blue Jays’ haven’t announced who will start beyond the opener after a taxing seven-game ALCS against the Seattle Mariners.
