Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After yesterday’s rude rainout, the Dodgers and Nationals resume their National League Division Series this morning. The Dodgers took Game 1 on Friday by a score of 4-3.
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Dodgers
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Nationals
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1:08 PM EST
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D.C.
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2B
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Utley
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CF
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Turner | |
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SS
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Seager
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RF
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Harper | |
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3B
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Turner
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LF
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Werth | |
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1B
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Gonzalez |
2B
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Murphy | |
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RF
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Reddick |
3B
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Rendon | |
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CF
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Pederson |
1B
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Zimmerman | |
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C
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Grandal | SS | Espinosa | |
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LF
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Toles |
C
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Lobaton | |
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P
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Hill (L)
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P
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Roark (R)
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In NLDS history, teams that have won Game 1 of a series have gone on to win the series 70 percent of the time, so that was obviously a big win.
The Dodgers are deploying the same lineup as Game 1 (save Rich Hill starting for Clayton Kershaw, obviously) against Nationals’ righty Tanner Roark. Just because Roark, 30, isn’t a household name doesn’t mean he isn’t a good pitcher.
Roark threw 210 innings for the Nats and posted a 2.83 ERA, 3.79 FIP, 20.1 K%, 8.5 BB%, .225 batting average against. Here’s a breakdown of his arsenal:
| Pitch | Avg. Velo | Usage |
| 4-Seam fastball | 93.2 | 17.3 |
| Sinker | 92.8 | 45.0 |
| Curveball | 78.0 | 12.6 |
| Slider | 86.1 | 15.0 |
| Changeup | 84.5 | 9.8 |
Being primarily a sinkerballer, Roark had the 19th-best ground ball rate at 48.7 percent. It’s a solid number, but he isn’t Marcus Stroman (60.1 GB%) or Dallas Keuchel (56.7) on the bump. He can also get a little wild, as he walked 73 hitters and hit the third most batters (13) in baseball this season.
With Stephen Strasburg down, Roark is the defacto No. 2 starter for Washington. I thought they might go with Gio Gonzalez so he could pitch in front of the home crowd, but Dusty Baker opted for the better pitcher in Roark.
Roark faced the Dodgers back on June 21 and lasted 7 1/3 innings. He was doing well until that eighth inning when Yasmani Grandal touched him up for a 3-run home run that decided the game.
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Dave Roberts said Clayton Kershaw did his normal post-start routine. "Talking to the training staff, the back is not an issue," he said.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) October 8, 2016
I might dive into Kershaw’s start in a future post, but he definitely wasn’t himself. I’m just glad to hear it wasn’t anything injury-related at least.
"There's no absolutes," Dave Roberts says, "but right now I see Julio making that start" even if Dodgers trail in the series.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) October 8, 2016
With Game 2 being pushed back a day, there is zero chance the Dodgers throw Kershaw in Game 4 because Hill will not be available to go on short rest in Game 5.
For better or worse, this could be Julio Urias‘ proper introduction to all of baseball. Still, Ross Stripling will definitely be on call for that game just in case things don’t go according to plan.
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