Dodgers Still Not Sure of Pitching Plan After Game 2 vs Padres

Valentina Martinez | 3 Hours Ago

Sep 24, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Landon Knack (96) throws against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Although the Dodgers haven't confirmed the Game 3 and 4 starters for the NLDS, Walker Buehler and Landon Knack will be involved in the game plan, according to general manager Brandon Gomes.

Gomes said the team was still weighing their options after Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Jack Flaherty started the first two games of the playoff series.

The Dodgers are once again faced with a pitching predicament. The Dodgers added Tyler Glasnow, Yamamoto, and Flaherty to bolster the rotation.

Glasnow is out of the postseason picture after sustaining a season-ending elbow sprain. Yamamoto and Flaherty were the obvious candidates to be the front-line starters after a majority of the Dodgers' starting pitchers were plagued by injuries.

The Dodgers had limited options in constructing the NLDS rotation, but the team hopes to make the best moves possible to put each pitcher in a position to succeed.

It's the reason why the Dodgers switched Yamamoto and Flaherty in Games 1 and 2 because it meant both pitchers would be available for a potential Game 5.

But before the Dodgers worry about a Game 5, the team must decide who the Games 3 and 4 starters will be. There has been speculation that Buehler will take Game 3 since he is the more experienced pitcher between him and Knack, a rookie.

However, the Dodgers are still weighing everything in the balance.

Buehler had a season abundant with struggles. His command on the mound looked nothing like the lights-out pitcher he once was.

But against the Padres in late September, a new version of the 30-year-old right hander emerged. Buehler helped the Dodgers win the division title with a 7-2 triumph over San Diego.

The right-hander allowed just one run through five innings. It was an encouraging sight to see as the looming postseason approached. Buehler's strongest performance of the season couldn't have come at a better time.

Buehler may not have had the best season, but in the biggest game of the year when it mattered most, he proved he could handle the pressure.

The rookie right-hander ended the season with a 3-5 record and a 3.65 ERA in 12 starts. Knack was mostly a reliable starter for the Dodgers, but his latest appearance on the mound may be a foreshadowing for what's to follow in October.

Anthony Banda started the final game of the season against the Colorado Rockies and Knack followed the reliever. The situation could certainly transpire again in the NLDS where Banda opens the game and Knack comes out of the bullpen for bulk innings.

It's likely that the Dodgers will assess how the series is trending after the first two games and confirm what the game plan is for the rest of the rotation.