How Will Dodgers Handle Pitching Issues with Arizona On the Way?

Written By Patrick McKernan

Although the race for first in the NL West was close at the start of the season, the second half seemed to swing in favor of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Blue Crew was able to reach 100 wins for a record third season in a row.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers, their usual accomplishment of making it to the postseason is also met with their usual pitching staff complications that come around this time of year. Clayton Kershaw leads the team in innings pitched in a season where he should have comfortably been third or fourth in a perfectly healthy rotation. One with Walker Buehler and Dustin May.

Los Angeles Dodgers SP Walker Buehler. Photo by Brandon Sloter (Getty Images)

Although Dodgers fans were teased for months that Buehler may make a heroic return for October, the organization confirmed over the summer that he would not be healthy enough.

Kershaw will lead a more beat-up rotation into the postseason than Dave Roberts would have liked to manage. Although Roberts can expect promising starts from rookie Bobby Miller and trade deadline acquisition Lance Lynn, there is no doubt he will have to manage a handful of successful bullpen games as well.

Los Angeles Dodgers SP Bobby Miller (R). Photo by Jason Getz (Associated Press)

Roberts has mentioned the need for younger pitchers needing to step up and find their best game while on the mound this postseason. It is nowhere near ideal for a rookie arm to step on the mound in the NLDS and pitch against a dangerous Arizona offense, but injuries and player misconduct have not left the Dodgers with much choice.

Relievers are going to be coming out of the pen possibly inning-by-inning with pre-planned assignments for all hitters. Experimenting has gone well for the Dodgers’ old-timers and rookies on both sides of the ball, so perhaps this heavy switching approach should be viewed with more optimism.

Los Angeles Dodgers RP Brusdar Graterol. Photo by Kirby Lee (USA TODAY Sports)

Some of these arms include Emmet Sheehan, Joe Kelly, Brusdar Graterol, Evan Phillips, etc. Sheehan has been improving over the last couple of weeks of the regular season, and Graterol has been nothing short of lights out with his usual gas.

The Diamondbacks pose as decent competition for the Dodgers in this NLDS matchup. Although the Dodgers finished with a better team ERA of 4.06 compared to the Diamondbacks’ 4.48, the depth they possess is their own ‘strength in numbers’ benefit. 

Zac Gallen had a great regular season and showed some postseason dominance as well, pitching six innings and allowing just two runs in the D-Backs game to win against the Milwaukee Brewers. He has a strong ability to stay late in games and it is no wonder he led Arizona in Innings Pitched with 210.

On the offensive side of the ball, Corbin Carroll has been a force to be reckoned with in the west all season, and now the Dodgers must keep an eye on him once more. The rookie stud went 4-7, including a home run, in Arizona’s Wild Card sweep over the Brewers.

Some veteran Diamondbacks that have been scary at the plate this year are second baseman Ketel Marte and former Toronto Blue Jay, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Both of whom would love to knock out the team that has dominated the division for the better part of a decade.

The offense is the Dodgers’ greatest strength heading into some gritty October baseball, and fans will have to hope Kershaw can put on a few more shows to help carry this drained rotation. He gets the start for game one of the NLDS at home in Los Angeles. If his slider is on point, and the pair of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman can build off their historic regular seasons, the Dodgers can prove there is more hope than worry.

Patrick McKernan
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