Subscribe
Follow Us
With their season on the line, the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers will hand the ball to Walker Buehler for Tuesday's Game 4 vs. the San Francisco Giants.
The Dodgers made the announcement on Tuesday morning.
Walker Buehler will start Game 4 tonight.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 12, 2021
The 106-win Dodgers fell behind in the National League Division Series, 2-1, after a frustrating 1-0 loss to the 107-win Giants on Monday night at Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles skipper Dave Roberts could have opted for a bullpen game — likely beginning with Tony Gonsolin. Instead, facing elimination, he's giving the starting nod to one of the game's best pitchers in Buehler.
Buehler has never pitched on short rest in his MLB career — not in the playoffs nor the regular season. Buehler threw 99 pitches and surrendered three runs over 6.1 innings in the Dodgers' 4-0 Game 1 loss four days ago on Oct. 8.
Following the Game 3 loss, Roberts would not name his Game 4 starter, though Albert Pujols seemed to be in the know on Buehler.
“I think as the offensive side our job is to score some [runs] for him and hopefully take the pressure a little bit off him,” Pujols said about Buehler in his postgame remarks. “But I think he’s going to do what he does all year long. He’s going to throw the ball pretty well. I know he’s coming on a short rest, but I think he’s going to be pretty excited.”
The Dodgers bullpen is fully rested, so the team doesn't need a deep start from Buehler.
The 27-year old went 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA in the 2021 regular season. He owns a 3-2 record and 2.53 ERA in 12 career playoff starts.
Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani will get the start for San Francisco.
