It’s the senior circuit’s chance to shine. The AL series are off today, which means all eyes are on the NL, where the Dodgers and Brewers are hoping to take commanding 2-0 leads in their respective matchups. It will be a southpaw-heavy evening. All four starters throw with their left hand. Is that an important fact? Doubtful, but I wanted to say it anyway.
All games are on TBS
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies, 6:08 pm ET
Blake Snell (5-4, 2.35 ERA) vs. Jesús Luzardo (15-7, 3.92 ERA)
Los Angeles leads series, 1-0
Snell was quite good in his first
start of a the postseason, a seven-inning performance against the Reds in Game 1 of the Wild Card round. The 32-year-old allowed two runs on four hits, one walk, and nine strikeouts.
Luzardo is coming off of a solid debut season with the Phillies. He stayed healthy, tossing a career-high 183.2 innings and struck out 216 batters. His final start of the season saw him throw seven innings without allowing an earned run. He has thrown at least six innings and allowed four or fewer runs in five consecutive starts, but in a must-win game for the Phillies won’t get the longest leash.
Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers, 9:08 pm ET
Shota Imanaga (9-8, 3.73 ERA) vs. Aaron Ashby (5-2, 2.16 ERA)
Milwaukee leads series, 1-0
Imanaga pitched in Game 2 of the Wild Card round, but was given an opener (Andrew Kittredge) ahead of him. It does not seem like he will be provided that luxury this time around. The Japanese hurler ended up tossing four innings of “relief” in that game, allowing two runs on three hits, two walks, and three strikeouts.
Ashby has already pitched in this series. He threw 1.1 innings of scoreless relief in Game 1. Tonight he will serve as opener, although manager Pat Murphy said that he could throw as many as four innings. That feels like a reach for a guy that has thrown more than two innings once since mid August. Perhaps it is just a bit of gamesmanship from Murphy.
