Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
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P
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Maeda (R)
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P
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Lester (L)
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Have you come down yet from Game 5 of the NLDS? I’m not sure I have. But now there’s more baseball to be played, as the Dodgers kick of a series with a very good Cubs team. Dustin provided an in-depth series preview earlier today, if you want to know what to look for throughout these games.
After much public deliberation, Kenta Maeda was announced as the Dodgers’ Game 1 starter (and really, there shouldn’t have been much question). Maeda did not face the Cubs this year, so this will be their first look at him.
Maeda last pitched in Game 3 on Monday, meaning he’ll be going on four days’ rest. This season, Maeda has been at his best on five days’ rest. The difference:
| Four Days | Five Days | |
| Games Started | 13 | 13 |
| IP | 70.1 | 71.2 |
| ERA | 3.97 | 3.01 |
| AVG | .247 | .220 |
| OPS | .728 | .586 |
| WHIP | 1.308 | 0.991 |
| BABIP | .315 | .263 |
| K | 80 | 62 |
| BB | 26 | 13 |
| K/BB | 3.08 | 4.77 |
The big gap in BABIP suggests that some of the difference in offense allowed has been luck. The strikeout and walk numbers are somewhat interesting — Maeda’s struck out more batters on normal rest, but he’s walked more as well, and his overall ratio is better on the extra day of rest. In any event, the overall results favor five days’ rest, but there’s no reason to think Maeda can’t be effective on regular rest.
Jon Lester is coming off of a great season, one in which he made two fine starts against the Dodgers. On June 1, Lester pitched a complete game against the Dodgers at Wrigley, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out 10. In his August 28 outing at Dodger Stadium, he delivered six scoreless innings in a game that the Dodgers eventually won, 1-0.
Lester is, of course, a lefty. Dave Roberts et al responded accordingly, sending out a lineup that includes Carlos Ruiz, making his first postseason start, and Enrique Hernandez, making his first postseason appearance (he wasn’t on the NLDS roster). Howie Kendrick is starting in left field and not at second base, because … that’s what he told Roberts he preferred. Alright, cool.
Lester pitched Game 1 of the Cubs-Giants NLDS, and delivered eight scoreless innings. That was eight days ago, so he’ll be extra rested.
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After throwing a career-high 51 pitches on Thursday, Kenley Jansen is ready to go tonight, should the Dodgers need him:
Kenley Jansen told me not only is he available tonight, but he feels good enough for multiple innings if necessary. #Dodgers
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) October 15, 2016
The Dodgers have confirmed that Clayton Kershaw is starting tomorrow, and Rich Hill will start Game 3 in Los Angeles. Even looking to tomorrow feels like it’s looking too far ahead right now, though.
It’s hard to imagine a series being more dramatic than the Dodgers-Nationals NLDS was, but let’s see what this one has in store for us.
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