Blake Snell to start Game 1 of the World Series for the Dodgers
Yamamoto to pitch Game 2; Ohtani, Glasnow could remain in rotation
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Tuesday that Blake Snell will start Game 1 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, scheduled for Friday. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will take the ball in Game 2, repeating the same rotation order used in the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Snell is coming off a dominant performance in that series, pitching eight scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts in Game 1 on October 13, allowing just one hit. With that performance, he became the first Dodgers pitcher to complete eight innings with one or fewer hits in a postseason game.
Yamamoto also excelled at his highest level. In Game 2, he pitched a complete game three-hitter, becoming the first Dodgers pitcher to get a complete outing in a playoff game since 2004.
A stellar rotation and pending decisions in the bullpen
Roberts indicated that the plan is to maintain the same starting sequence, although there is still no final decision on Games 3 and 4, which will be played at Dodger Stadium. “I think we're going to use the same rotation, at least for the first two games,” the manager said.
The coaching staff believes Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani will be next in the rotation, further strengthening a team that is heading into the World Series in great shape. Ohtani was voted MVP of the ALCS after a historic performance: he hit three home runs and struck out ten in Game 4, securing the Dodgers' place in their second consecutive Fall Classic.
The Los Angeles rotation has been completely dominant. Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow, and Ohtani combined for a 0.63 ERA against Milwaukee, allowing just two earned runs in 28.2 innings and adding 35 strikeouts.
As for the bullpen, Roberts acknowledged that there are still internal discussions about an available position. "There's one place we could continue to discuss, and we will. Other than that, it'll probably look exactly the same," he explained.
One of the key decisions involves reliever Tanner Scott, who didn't make the ALDS roster after undergoing emergency surgery. He's now eligible to return."We're just waiting for full clearance from the doctors. He's eager, which is a good thing, and we have a couple more days to evaluate how he responds in his bullpen sessions," the manager said.