Dodgers Team News

Dodgers NLDS: Washington Nationals Announce Game 3 Starting Pitcher

In a must-win game on Sunday night, the Dodgers will not be facing Max Scherzer. They will instead be facing right-hander Anibal Sanchez.

This is huge news for the Dodgers. I mean, who really wants to face Max Scherzer with the Washington crowd behind him while he is muttering expletive-laden rants about you? Not fun.

Past History

Instead, the Dodgers will get the much calmer Anibal Sanchez. Sanchez has put together a pretty decent 2019 season, but nowhere near the caliber of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, or Patrick Corbin. Sanchez held a 4.39 DRA and 90 DRA- for the season, which are both respectable marks.

For some past history on Sanchez, he held a 4.24 ERA and 4.70 FIP at Nationals Park this season, which bodes well for the Dodgers. Sanchez is also a pitcher who struggles the third time through the order (6.52 ERA compared to 1.76 the first time through), which is a good thing for the Dodgers considering how bad the Nationals bullpen is. Across nine career starts against the Dodgers, he holds a 3.53 ERA.

In Sanchez’s lone start at home against the Dodgers, he surrendered three earned runs across just 4 1/3 innings of work. This matchup is a very favorable one for the Dodgers on paper and could very easily be the type of matchup they need to get their bats hot. Sanchez’s postseason ERA is also 3.12, which is pretty good.

Dodgers Against Sanchez

Out of all the position players on the Dodgers’ roster, they collectively have gone 22-for-84 against
Sanchez combined, good enough for a .261 batting average. Those among the ones with good history are first baseman David Freese (5-for-16, two doubles) and Joc Pederson (4-for-11, two home runs). The only Dodgers without a hit against Sanchez are the ones with the last experience against him in Corey Seager (0-for-3) and Kiké Hernandez (0-for-1).

Overall

We will see what happens in Game 3, but this definitely appears to be a favorable matchup for the Dodgers on the road.

Daniel Preciado

My name is Daniel Preciado and I am 19 years old. I am a sophomore Sport Analytics major and Cognitive Science and Economics dual minor at Syracuse University. When I am not in New York, I live in Whittier, California --- not too far from Chavez Ravine. I am pretty old-school for being an analytics guy and I will always embrace debate. Also, Chase Utley did absolutely nothing wrong.

15 Comments

  1. This is a setup, I think the nationals are playing very smart. Since their bullpen is shaky, I believe the nationals will use Scherzer in the bullpen. If the nationals jump to a lead early you watch Scherzer will come from the bullpen. It’s simple for the dodgers to win Series they will eventually have to beat up Scherzer or Strasburg.

    1. They can beat us doing that but will flame out next round or against the Astros and I’ll love every second of it

  2. We need to take advantage of this matchup or our season might come crashing down around us. Also, the Yanks and Astros are moving full steam ahead!!! Go Blue Crew!!!

    1. BLUE LOU, were you able to catch the ALDS game between the Astros and the Rays? I did and shuttered at the thought of this Dodger offense facing Verlander and Cole. OHand notice how the Astros consistently put the ball in play instead of swinging away at pitches out of the zone and striking out a ton. I am sorry to say this but if Dodgers continue to strike out in a manner like Friday, then mark this day of October 8, 2019 as the day the Dodger off season officially begins.

  3. Makes no difference, the Dodgers can’t hit. The Nationals are a better team. You can tell from each team’s dugout, the Nationals were all in high spirit cheering their teammates, while in the Dodgers dugout everyone’s seemed bored, the morale is low.

    1. I agree and I wonder why that is? It wasn’t like that during the season they were a close group even up until the last game of the year. What could’ve changed in just a few days?

      1. The Dodgers need consistency, and I mean consistency in who plays and where they play. They aren’t machines and need to get their mind inline with their bodies. Pollock leading off was weird, and this moving chess pieces is the same thing that sunk us in 2017. I just can’t figure them out. Already they left the bases loaded with no runs. It’s starting again…….

    2. Really? You have direct line of sight into both dugouts all game long? You judge a team’s talent based on a couple of shots of the dugout throughout the game? Is that what your knowledge of baseball boils down to?

  4. At 70 years old, I lay here in my bed suffering from intense back pain unable to watch because the games are not streamed on MLB or YouTube. ? I’m only able to listen to it on MLB.com “At Bat”

    To my favorite team: LA Dodgers you had an incredible year;
    • Winning 106 games, ? Best in team history.?
    • Securing the NL West Divsion title by 20 +
    games. ?
    • Promoted prospects who were productive the day they arrived at Dodger Stadium ?
    • The emergence of Super Star and possibly The Most Valuable Player this year, Cody Bellinger. ?
    • Setting a new Team Home Run Record
    • Setting New National League Home Run Record. ?
    • Lead by your manager Dave Roberts, who almost made it through the year without being thrown out of a game. ?
    Dave Roberts and his staff did a fantastic job in molding the team with the “Team First Philosophy” as they know you can never win anything with me, me, I type players.

    I salute the Team and the Organization starting with,
    • Field Ground Crew they are the best in the world.
    • Stadium Grounds Crew including all the Usher’s, Ticket Sellers, and all the Venders that make it a fantastic experience for the fans that visit Dodger Stadium.
    • The Award Winning Broadcast team
    • Player Development staff
    • Medical Staff
    • Dave Roberts Coach staff
    • Day to Day personnel including office staff, Traveling Coordinators, Sales Dept., Game Promotions, Clubhouse and Locker Room Staff.
    • The Dream Foundation
    • The Jackie Robinson Foundation and family
    • The Player Alumni Group
    • The Individual Player Foundations, set up to give back to their fans.
    • The Guggenheim Ownership Group,
    They deserve a lot of Recognition for all that they do for the City, Fans and Baseball.
    I do apologize if I missed anyone.

    I have a special request for the team

    Please bring the “World Series” back to LA.

    Do it for the “Skipper” Tommy Lasorda and all your dedicated fans all over the globe.

    Respectfully

    Lifelong Dodger fan

  5. If Dodgers cannot recover from Friday night’s game experience set this date on your calendars:
    October 8,2019, the day the Dodger off season officially begins.

    1. Yes, but Spring Training is just around the corner, and is always a good time, which helps me forget any bad from the previous season.

  6. Our hitters will wake up tonight and pound Sanchez. I see Dodgers winning tonight by at least 3 runs. They will bounce back!!!! Go Blue.

  7. Dodgers lose in 4.. Dave Roberts is manger… he been lucky ..He can’t win the BIG games

  8. For 80% of Angelenos, this is the first time they’ve seen the Dodgers on local TV. Who knows, maybe the local blackout, was a blessing. It’s hard to watch this……

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