The Los Angeles Dodgers will open their playoff series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, October 3, during which Clayton Kershaw will square off against Adam Wainwright. Zack Greinke is scheduled to start Game 2. If the series goes the full five games, we could see Kershaw and Greinke each pitch twice.
First, let's reiterate the dominance of these two pitchers and who they'll be facing. Kershaw finished the regular season with the lowest ERA (1.77) in the MLB and became the first pitcher in the history of baseball to do that in four consecutive seasons. He also posted a 21-3 record (also led the MLB in wins) with a 0.86 WHIP and 239 strikeouts. He'll be facing Adam Wainwright, who had a great 2014 campaign, compiling a 20-9 record with a 2.38 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. Wainwright faced the Dodgers in June and suffered a complete game 1-0 loss.
In Game 2, Greinke will likely be going up against the Cardinals' Lance Lynn. Greinke, 30, finished the regular season with a 17-8 record to accompany a 2.71 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 202 1/3 innings. Greinke had the 13th best ERA in the majors and was tied for eighth in wins. Lynn perhaps had his best year as a starter, posting a 2.74 ERA in 33 starts. His 15-10 record wasn't very glamorous, but he received seven losses in outings where he gave up two earned runs or less. He faced the Dodgers twice this year, going 1-1, but he was knocked around badly in the loss and gave up six runs in two innings. He gave up just two earned runs in six innings in his winning effort. Greinke also faced St. Louis twice and was 1-1, surrendering a total of five earned runs in 12 2/3 innings.
Los Angeles has yet to announce their postseason roster, but all signs point to them using a three-man rotation in the NLDS. They'll likely use Hyun-Jin Ryu in Game 3 (if he's healthy), but if the Cardinals force Games 4 and 5, it's a strong possibility that we'll see Kershaw and Greinke head out to the mound again. Kershaw starting Game 4 is seemingly a definite. The left-hander threw a simulated game four days after his final start of the regular season, ostensibly in an attempt to get him used to short rest.
"The Dodgers closed Wednesday's workout to the media, likely in an effort to keep the Cardinals in the dark as to their plans for the rotation," writes Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. "If Ryu pitches Game 3 and Kershaw goes in Game 4, the Dodgers likely would use No. 4 starter Dan Haren as their long reliever."
"If Kershaw pitches Game 4, the Dodgers could have Kershaw or Zack Greinke on the mound as many as four times in the best-of-five series," adds Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. "Game 4, if necessary, will be played Oct. 7 in St. Louis. Game 5 is scheduled for two days later in Los Angeles. Greinke, who is expected to start Saturday in Game 2, could pitch that final game on regular four days' rest."
Los Angeles has a number of other options and is flexible with their strong bullpen, but signs point to Kershaw and Greinke each starting twice if the NLDS stretches out to five games.
