Dodgers: Dave Roberts Stops Short of Naming Rich Hill Playoff Starter

One of the biggest question marks remaining for Dave Roberts and the Dodgers — outside of injuries to a bevy of players — has been “who will start game 4 in October?” The hope all along is that a healthy Rich Hill could step (or hobble) into that roll.

Hill has done everything in his power to get himself healthy and ready for a starters workload in the playoffs. Sunday’s season finale against the Giants was his biggest hurdle… and it looks like he jumped over it with flying colors.

3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K.

Moreover, Richie tossed 49 pitches, landing 34 for strikes, before heading to the bullpen to simulate one more inning.

It’s safe to say that Hill is postseason ready. And his manager feels similarly, even if he stopped short of naming Hill the game 4 starter.

Dave Roberts said he’s “feeling really good about Game 4” for Rich Hill.

— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) September 29, 2019

While D. Mountain may have been overshadowed on Sunday by the Dodgers winning their most games ever, Clayton Kershaw being super classy, and SF manager Bruce Bochy’s retirement, he still did what he had to do to prove himself to his manager.

As usual, a “feeling really good” from Doc likely means “he’s going to be our guy.”

MLB.com beat writer Ken Gurnick got Hill’s assessment of his outing.

Ball came out great, a really good day with the curveball. When you can put the curve wherever you want, that’s my weapon to get guys out, it means a lot.

In 11 postseason games (10 starts) with Los Angeles since 2016, number 44 has a record of 1-1, but a 2.66 ERA in 47.1 innings pitched. President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and company traded for him for just these moments. The big innings in October.

And now free agent-to-be Richie Hill has one more shot to get a ring with the boys in blue.