The Dodgers open the NLDS this afternoon at 2:38 PM PST at National’s Park as Clayton Kershaw will counter right hander Max Scherzer in the opening game of the five game playoff series. The rest of the pitching match-ups for the next two games have been announced. Rich Hill will take the mound for the Dodgers in game 2, and Washington will start Tanner Roark. In game 3, Kenta Maeda gets the call as the Nationals will counter with left hander Gio Gonzalez. The Dodgers officially released their NLDS roster this morning.
Dodgers NLDS Roster
Pitchers (11) Position Players (14)
LHP Luis Avilan C/IF Austin Barnes
RHP Pedro Baez IF Charlie Culberson
RHP Joe Blanton OF Andre Ethier (L)
LHP Grant Dayton 1B Adrián González (L)
RHP Josh Fields C Yasmani Grandal (S)
LHP Rich Hill IF/OF Howie Kendrick
RHP Kenley Jansen OF Joc Pederson (L)
LHP Clayton Kershaw OF Yasiel Puig
RHP Kenta Maeda OF Josh Reddick (L)
RHP Ross Stripling C Carlos Ruiz
LHP Julio Urías SS Corey Seager (L)
OF Andrew Toles (L)
2B Chase Utley (L)
There were a few surprises but all in all nothing shocking. The Dodgers will carry 11 pitchers and 14 position players. Andrew Toles (who will be starting today in left field), and Andre Ethier made the cut in the outfield. Rookies Julio Urias and Ross Stripling made the roster as well on the pitching side. The Dodgers will go with left handers Luis Avilan and Grant Dayton in the bullpen along with Season long stalwarts Joe Blanton, Pedro Baez, and closer Kenley Jansen.
Dodgers Lineup @ Washington-Game 1 NLDS
#Dodgers' NLDS Game 1 lineup:
Utley 2B
Seager SS
Turner 3B
González 1B
Reddick RF
Pederson CF
Grandal C
Toles LF
Kershaw P— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 7, 2016
Clayton Kershaw-12-4 vs. Max Scherzer-20-7
Game Time – 2:39 PM – TV- FS1
As you know the Dodgers won five out of six against the Nationals in the regular season. Kershaw defeated the Nationals back on June 20 as he tossed seven one-run innings and struck out 8. Kershaw has always pitched well against the Nationals. In 13 career starts against Washington Kershaw has a 10-2 record with a 2.02 ERA and 104 strikeouts against just 17 walks. At National’s Park he is 3-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 5 career starts. Kershaw finished 12-4 with a 1.69 ERA in 21 starts during the regular season. He struck out 172 and walked only 11 in 149 innings pitched. He posted a 0.7 WHIP and allowed just 5.9 hits per nine innings pitched.
Kershaw vs. Nationals
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Jayson Werth | 39 | 35 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | .286 | .359 | .457 | .816 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ryan Zimmerman | 24 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .318 | .333 | .364 | .697 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stephen Drew | 19 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .059 | .158 | .059 | .217 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Daniel Murphy | 19 | 19 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .316 | .316 | .632 | .947 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chris Heisey | 18 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .188 | .278 | .313 | .590 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Danny Espinosa | 17 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .118 | .118 | .176 | .294 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Anthony Rendon | 16 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .313 | .313 | .313 | .625 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryce Harper | 15 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | .067 | .067 | .267 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wilson Ramos | 12 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .167 | .167 | .167 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jose Lobaton | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .111 | .000 | .111 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Michael Taylor | 9 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .556 | .889 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mat Latos | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Yusmeiro Petit | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .333 | .500 | .333 | .833 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clint Robinson | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Max Scherzer | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Treinen | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 212 | 200 | 44 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 63 | .220 | .259 | .325 | .584 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
I’m not worried about Kershaw. I am worried about the Dodger hitters getting anything against Max Scherzer. The right hander won 20 games during the regular season, finishing with a 20-7 record and a 2.96 ERA. He struck out 284, walked 56 and allowed 6.5 hits per nine innings pitched. The one weakness he has is that he can be homer prone. Scherzer allowed 31 home runs in 228.1 innings pitched. The Dodgers did not face him this season. Scherzer is 2-4 with a 3.29 ERA in 8 career starts against the Dodgers. Scherzer has a career 3.73 ERA in the postseason.
Scherzer vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 28 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | .192 | .250 | .231 | .481 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Andre Ethier | 26 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | .333 | .385 | .542 | .926 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Reddick | 17 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | .294 | .294 | .412 | .706 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Howie Kendrick | 15 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .357 | .400 | .429 | .829 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Utley | 11 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .200 | .273 | .400 | .673 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlos Ruiz | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .125 | .125 | .125 | .250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasiel Puig | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .333 | .333 | .833 | 1.167 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 2.000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joc Pederson | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clayton Kershaw | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Justin Turner | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 119 | 109 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 26 | .266 | .308 | .394 | .702 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
That’s about it for now. It’s make or break time for the Dodgers. The percentages tell us that the club that wins the first game of the division series goes on to win the series more than 80% of the time. So winning this first game is very important for the Dodgers.
Go Blue!
The moment of truth has arrived. Now we will see if FAZ’s moves pay off with a trip to the NLCS and then the series, or if as in the last 3 years, Dodger fans are foiled again.
Will at least we have a manager now, that knows how it is to win a World Series.
Dave never has won as a manager….it is a whole different ball game between managing and playing. DM has a different style, and he had a different kind of team. The Dodgers 2013 and 14 were power based. With guys through out the lineup who had a lot of power. This team is a scratch it out bunch. They have better defense, but DM had much better starting pitching and in my opinion some bad luck. Especially when Ramirez was knocked out of the St Louis series with a broken rib. DM also suffered from a mediocre bullpen.
Michael
To be a lifetime Yankee, and never be on a World Series team, is really hard to do.
At least Roberts knows how it feels to be on a world champion team.
Mattingly had a decent bullpen, in one of those years, but he isn’t good at bullpen management either.
We just disagree, but I still like you, and value your opinon.
Actually I don’t think Donnie’s Yankee teams even made the playoffs! Those were the down years for them, prior to Jeter/Rivera/Bernie, etc coming up. Donnie was at the end of his career when that group came up.
Meanwhile, Game3 Monday is at 1pm. Game 4 Tuesday 2pm
Bobby
There should be late games.
It isn’t fair that the Cubs get the evening games.
Only 1 year 1995 Donnie’s final season. And almost won in 5 games but Edgar Martinez sank them
MJ, again it comes down to time zones. Fair is not what MLB is worried about….
Not during the time Mattingly played. The Yankees were not that good a team. So it was not hard at all to not make it to the series. As far as his bullpen, he had no real set up guy to get the ball to Jansen. Roberts was a bench guy when he made it to the series with the Red Sox. Playing on a world series team makes no difference. Walter Alston had 1 major league at bat, and he struck out. Yet he won 4 series as a manager. Casey Stengal managed a succession of bad teams before he became the Yankee manager. Bruce Bochy managed the Padres and won nothing there……It is pretty much luck, and being in the right place at the right time. Alston became the Dodger manager simply because Charlie Dressen, who had won back to back pennants in 52-53 demanded a multi year contract, and O’Malley fired him instead.
Well Bochy did take SD to the fall classic in 1998.
Yes he did, and they lost…..
Yahoo!!!!!
Go Dodgers!!!!!
David Price continuing his crappy post season performance
Here we go!
Just like that baby!!!!
This is a hit parade now 🙁
This will sound nit picky and trivial but why is Grandals catchers vest trimmed in red? Other than the numbers nothing is red on their uniform. It looks like he borrowed it from the Mets. I know Piazza had one for a year or so trimmed in red. AJ never had red trim.
Sorry but it bugs me.
I know….. Move on.
Terrible throw by Toles though
The Mets are orange not red.
OK so are his shin guards.
Kershaw is getting hit Hard!!!!
Bats need to step up again
Kershaw needs to come out!
He is pitching defensively and he has allowed our lead to slip away!
this guy cannot do it in October.
As with the regular season, the pen will have to bring this home. Let’s hope we can get a few more runs
My goodness this game is cardiac stress!
Kershaw was overthrowing all game. When he’s hitting 95 and 96, he’s too amped and it’s why he couldn’t throw a slider to save his life. Didn’t like hitting for Toles at all. Should have let Toles hit and then you still have Kendrick for Utley if you need him. Also, weakens our defense.
Hawk, agree with everything you said.
Charlie Culberson may have saved the game with that play. That was this close to runner on 3rd and 1 out . Wow
I hope go to Kenley this early works. Baez was doing fine and Avilan was still in the pen. Thought they may use him for 4 outs. A little surprised by 5.
well the 5th out was 1 pitch, so no biggie really
But he has the top of the order to face next. Time to take some bp meds!
Bobbie and Hawkeye
I agree Culberson made the play of the game, and after coming off the bench!
He wasn’t sharp there. He hit where Grandal set up once the entire inning. We need to add on.
Hawkeye
I agree with everything you said, and especially taking Toles out, because of defense, and Howie isn’t hitting that well, to chance it on defense.
Howie needs to be more patient, but he swings at first pitch again.
I hope he can start hitting, but he now has a lower average against lefties, then righties.
Do they walk Puig if Howie had stayed at 1B?
yes
I never doubted them. Well maybe once or twice. Way to gut it out Dodgers. The bullpen is awesome.
Gotta love it right?
I think MJ brought it up in the other thread. That’s how the team is built. Get at least five from the starter, then a variety of different arms and pitchers.
rays did it a year ago.
Bluto
That was you!
I just accept the starters throw five innings now, because it has worked, with the starters we have.
Mark
Kenley did it when we really needed it, so he is off my list for now.
You meant KC. Yes, the awesome bullpen model makes a lot of sense. If the starter has it, ride him as long as possible, but if starter doesn’t, good to have lots of options
No. I meant Tampa.
I guess I forgot about TB last year. Don’t know how that happened.
Kenley and the rest of the bp guys were fantastic!
This is the first time we’ve won a game 1 since 2013 Atl series. Finally!
Now we can watch this giants/cubs game in peace. Time to pour some vodka!
Bobby
I am proud of all of our guys!
Everyone a perfect night!
We win the first one, and now we can watch the Cubs beat the Giants hopefully.
And really the only player that the Nationals didn’t have, was there starting catcher.
I am suprised Dusty had Murphy running.
I wouldn’t have chanced that, with my best hitter, just coming back.
A couple debatable decisions by Doc but a gutsy win. Culberson being on the roster pays off tonight. Great play by Charlie!
Show of hands. IF we get past the Nats, who wants SF (home field advatange) and who wants Chicago (road )?
If it’s a done deal that we’re in the NLCS, then I want SF. Dodgers Giants NLCS is everything we all want, and it’d be the ultimate way to get to the World Series, by beating them! Yes, it’d also be the worst loss ever. I know as a Laker fan, losing to Boston in 08 was horrible, but beating them in 2010 was the most amazing feeling! 2010 meant way more than 2009
Bobby
I think we could take the Giants with home field advantage.
I despise both the Giants and Cubs. I would rather hit against Cubs pitching but their lineup is deeper and they have a better closer.
If they wind up playing SF I think Kike replaces Barnes on roster. Anyone know who else got sent to AZ to work with Kike.
Wood and the rest of the players
No, Wood, Howell, and Segedin traveled with the team to D.C.
Hawkeye
Sorry I probably remembered them going with the team, but I do think Kike, and everyone else that didn’t travel with the team, went with Kike to Arizona.
Play the giants after they beat the Cubs?
No thank you.
Badger
What did you think about Kershaw?