The Dodgers starting lineup for Game 2 of the National League Division Series against another Phillies left-hander in Jesús Luzardo includes Miguel Rojas at third base. Luzardo is one of three Phillies left-handed
starting pitchers in a row, after Cristopher Sánchez in Game 1 and Ranger Suárez set to start in Game 3 on Wendesday in Los Angeles.
It’s the second start this postseason for Rojas, who has played in each of the first three games, including a start at second base in Game 2 of the wild card series to rest Tommy Edman’s ankle. Edman is starting at second base in Game 2 against the Phillies, his third start in four games.
Rojas this season hit .295/.363/.516 with a 143 wRC+ in 135 plate appearances against southpaws. It means another non-start for the lefty-batting Max Muncy.
Muncy struggled against left-handed pitchers this season, with 11 hits and 70 at-bats, hitting .157/.250/.314 with a 59 wRC+, and started only 14 of the 34 left-handed starting pitchers the Dodgers faced while he was active.
“I talked to Max before this series and said that we obviously knew what we were coming into, and he is adamant that whatever it takes to help this team win — and there could be a big spot at any point that could change the game,” manager Dave Roberts said Saturday. “He’ll be ready when called upon. But I really can’t speak to when he’s going to start, if he’s going to start, because also Miggy Ro’s been great, too, against left-handed pitching. I see him getting a start as well.”
Even when Muncy doesn’t start, he figures to get into the game at some point, depending on the matchup. In Game 1, he pinch-hit in the sixth inning against right-hander David Robertson and remained in the game at third base the rest of the way. Muncy grounded out and struck out in Game 1, and has one hit in nine at-bats plus two walks and a hit by pitch so far this postseason.
Ben Rortvedt starts behind the plate for the fourth time in four postseason games, but expect Will Smith to see ample time in Game 2. Smith did not start Game 1 but was used as a pinch-hitter in the top of the fifth and caught the final five innings. The Dodgers are trying to ease Smith back in considering that was only Smith’s second game in the last 32 days.
“He hasn’t had the normal buildup as far as getting his legs back and catching and all that kind of stuff that he normally would, coming back from an injury,” Roberts said during media availability on Sunday’s off day. “Then you layer in the intensity of the postseason, the games are a little bit longer, all that. So to have him catch four innings and then to potentially run that same playbook, certainly there’s value to that.”
