PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies’ left-handed starting pitching has forced the Dodgers to make some lineup decisions.
Third baseman Max Muncy did not start either Game 1 (against lefty Cristopher Sanchez) or Game 2 (against lefty Jesus Luzardo) of the National League Division Series. The Phillies are expected to start another lefty (Ranger Suarez) in Game 3, though Phillies manager Rob Thomson has talked up right-hander Aaron Nola as an option as well.
“I think right now for these first two games in particular, having guys that have a lot of success against left(-handed pitchers), I really like the ‘silver bullet’ to deploy (Muncy as a pinch-hitter) at any given point in the game which we did in Game 1 versus (right-handed reliever David) Robertson,” Roberts said before Game 2.
Muncy hit just .157 (11 for 70) against left-handed pitching this season. Kiké Hernandez started at third base in Game 1 – and actually didn’t fare much better against left-handed pitching during the season (.202). But the right-handed hitter came through with a two-run double that drove Sanchez from the game in the sixth inning of Game 1.
Miguel Rojas got the start against Luzardo in Game 2. Rojas hit .295 with an .879 OPS and six of his seven home runs against lefties during the season.
“Miggy Ro has been taking really good at-bats, has had a great season,” Roberts said. “I love him versus left(-handers). And Kiké is ‘October Kiké.’
“So I think right now just the net sum, it gives us the best chance to win tonight. I felt the same way in Game 1. We’ll see how tonight goes but I’ve had conversations with Max every day and he’s completely on board.”
GAME FIVE
The Dodgers used starter Tyler Glasnow out of the bullpen in Game 1 against the Phillies. But Roberts said the Dodgers have no plans to use Shohei Ohtani or Blake Snell out of the bullpen following their starts in Games 1 and 2, respectively.
“I think anything is on the table depending on series circumstances,” he said. “But right now I don’t think that’s on our radar. … I’m sure that there’s some unforeseeable things that sort of always arise. So I’m not going to take anything off the table.”
If the best-of-five series goes the distance, Roberts said Ohtani would start on the mound in Game 5. Snell would be on four days of rest for a Game 5.
KERSHAW ROLE
The Dodgers added retiring left-hander Clayton Kershaw to the roster for the NLDS and Roberts said Kershaw will pitch out of the bullpen and be used “as such.” But it’s unclear what that role is. It won’t necessarily be as a traditional long man, soaking up innings if a starter has to be pulled early in a game, nor do the Dodgers sound inclined to match him up against left-handed sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper at the top of the Phillies’ lineup.
“I trust him. I just think there’s other opportunities he might have to pitch,” Roberts said. “But I also do feel that there’s other guys – whether it’s lanes or spots – that I feel we’re more comfortable with.
“It’s not a slight on Clayton, but I do think that there’s various roles – up, down, early, late – that I could use him.”
SMITH UPDATE
If Will Smith were returning from a broken bone in his right hand during the regular season, he would have gone on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment, caught three or four innings in one game then five or six in the next, building up gradually after not catching a game for weeks.
That is not an option during the postseason, so the Dodgers have worked him in as a pinch-hitter, replacing Ben Rortvedt and getting his work in that way. Roberts said Smith could be in the starting lineup for Game 3 on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Game 3: Phillies (LHP Ranger Suarez, 12-8, 3.20 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 12-8, 2.49 ERA), Wednesday, 6:08 p.m. PT, TBS, HBO Max, 570 AM
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