The Los Angeles Dodgers are officially playing the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Wild Card series, but there was quite a bit of uncertainty surrounding who would be starting the game.
Manager Dave Roberts said that southpaw Blake Snell is a “good bet” to start Game 1, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.
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This essentially places Yoshinobu Yamamoto as the Game 2 starter, with Shohei Ohtani as the Game 3 starter if necessary.
The Dodgers are looking to get past some of their bullpen woes of September as they enter the next phase of the 2025 season, but their starting rotation has been phenomenal amid the relievers not quite holding up their end of the bargain.
Snell has just a 0.69 ERA across his last three starts, totaling 17 strikeouts to just three walks over 12 innings of work. Yamamoto is just as devastating, putting up a 0.67 ERA across his last four starts, striking out 34 and allowing 11 walks.
Ohtani, who recently went six innings in a start for the first time this season, has yet to allow an earned run in his three outings in September, striking out 18 and walking two in those 14.2 frames.
Even Tyler Glasnow has joined in on the recent success, posting an ERA of 2.49 this month, punching out 25 and walking 11 across those 25.2 innings pitched.
Regardless of recent numbers, everyone on the pitching staff knows how pivotal this playoff run will be. Even the bullpen — amid the criticism and poor play — had a massive bright spot on Saturday. Between Blake Treinen (who has had a miserable September with a 9.64 ERA), Alex Vesia, and Edgardo Henriquez, the relief trio achieved nine consecutive strikeouts, a franchise record in the live ball era.
October baseball is all about getting hot at the right time, and perhaps the pitching roster can continue their hot streak all the way down to the Fall Classic.
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Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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