"Entering this week's National League Championship Series, the Dodgers' pitching plan seemed simple. After Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow started the final two games of the team's NL Division Series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell were next in line for Games 1 and 2 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers."
"All the Dodgers needed to do was slot Snell in for Game 1 on Monday, making him an option to pitch again on four days' rest in Game 5. Then, they could have Ohtani go in Game 2 on Tuesday, allowing him to pitch before Wednesday's scheduled off-day (which has been the team's preference for the two-way star) and be available for another start if the series returns to Milwaukee for Games 6 and 7."
"Snell will indeed go in Game 1, trying to build upon the 1.38 ERA he posted in his first two outings this postseason. But instead of Ohtani in Game 2, it will be Yamamoto who gets the ball - pushing Ohtani's next pitching appearance to sometime later this series, Roberts said. "We just don't know which day," Roberts said of when Ohtani will get the ball. "But he'll pitch at some point.""
The Dodgers opted to start Blake Snell in Game 1 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Snell's Game 1 start preserves his ability to pitch on four days' rest in a potential Game 5. Starting Yamamoto in Game 2 keeps him on his typical five-day rest pattern and positions him to start a possible Game 6 on regular rest. Shohei Ohtani's next pitching appearance was pushed later in the series, with the team indicating he could still pitch at some point and possibly be available in relief for a Game 7. Concerns remain about Ohtani's recent hitting performance in the NLDS.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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