LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are flipping Jack Flaherty and rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto of their rotation for the Nationwide League Division Sequence in opposition to the rival San Diego Padres.
Yamamoto will begin Sport 1 on Saturday and Flaherty will go in Sport 2 on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. The adjustments have been made so Yamamoto might be accessible for a possible Sport 5 on an additional day of relaxation as he has had for each outing this season.
“It is nearly having extra choices,” Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations, stated Thursday. “It simply creates flexibility for issues that we will not probably know proper now, which is how is our pitching utilized in Video games 1 by means of 4 and simply having as many choices as we will.”
He stated each pitchers have been nice concerning the resolution as soon as the logic was defined.
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The NLDS pits the Dodgers in opposition to the Padres for the third time in 5 years. The Padres received 3-1 in 2022, and the Dodgers received 3-0 in 2020 on their strategy to successful the World Sequence within the pandemic-shortened season.
“It is felt prefer it’s been on a collision course,” Friedman stated. “They seem to be a good crew. We all know it will be actually good baseball.”
Friedman likens the matchup to a sport of chess for the reason that division rivals know one another so nicely. The Padres have been 8-5 in opposition to the Dodgers within the common season, with the NL West title taking place to the wire.
“Do you retain sticking to the strengths? Do you turn issues up? How are they going to method it?” he stated. “In the event you’ve executed one thing particular to a sure man by means of these regular-season matchups, do you keep it up? Do you deviate? I feel that is on a case-by-case foundation.”
Proudly owning the very best report in baseball gave the Dodgers a bye this week. They spent Thursday utilizing a high-velocity pitching machine for batting apply, engaged on fundamentals and enjoying a simulated sport whereas the deciding Sport 3 of the NL Wild Card Sequence between the Mets and Brewers performed on the stadium’s videoboards.
Shohei Ohtani grounded out to second main off the sim sport in opposition to Tony Gonsolin. Freddie Freeman popped out to foul territory in left within the eerily quiet stadium.
A number of of the gamers had organized watch events throughout the NLWC, which the Padres swept in two video games over the Atlanta Braves.
The additional day off has confirmed worthwhile for injured gamers corresponding to Freeman and shortstop Miguel Rojas.
Freeman sprained his proper ankle after touchdown awkwardly whereas operating to first throughout the crew’s NL West-clinching sport in opposition to the Padres final week. Supervisor Dave Roberts stated he was assured Freeman could be within the lineup for Sport 1, though he acknowledged the All-Star first baseman’s mobility could possibly be compromised on protection.
Freeman additionally took swings within the batting cage Thursday and was progressing every day. He additionally jammed his center finger on his proper hand in late August.
“It is arduous as a result of anytime you discuss to him about it, he is like, ‘I am good. I will be good,'” Friedman stated.
Rojas has a tear in his left adductor muscle, an harm he has been enjoying with for a few weeks.
“Miggy appears actual good,” Friedman stated. “The time [off] has actually helped him.”
Friedman confirmed Ohtani would proceed his throwing program as he rehabs from a second elbow surgical procedure he had a 12 months in the past. The Japanese famous person will not progress to reside batting apply.
Not pitching this season allowed Ohtani to deal with his offense and the outcomes have been record-breaking. He grew to become the primary participant in main league historical past with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season.
