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6:07 AM UTC
LOS ANGELES — When the Rays started using the opener strategy in 2018, it took some time for everyone around the Majors to fully understand its purpose. The Dodgers, reasonably so, had their hesitations until a few years back.
But with the current state of the rotation and the young pitchers still learning at the big league level, the opener is something Los Angeles fully expects to deploy multiple times throughout the postseason.
With the National League West already wrapped up, the Dodgers continued experimenting with different pitching plans on Tuesday, with Caleb Ferguson opening for Ryan Pepiot in the 3-2 walk-off win over the Tigers at Dodger Stadium. Max Muncy delivered the game-winning hit, an RBI single in the ninth.
“I still believe that the opener is still a strategy in the sense of how you can create a different look for that next pitcher coming in,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “I think that with our varied arms, just kind of putting our thoughts together and how best to prevent runs in a game and how best to use our arms.”
As of now, the Dodgers are expected to have Bobby Miller, Clayton Kershaw and Lance Lynn be more traditional starters in the postseason. Miller is pitching his way towards a potential Game 1 start in the NLDS. Kershaw isn’t completely healthy with a left shoulder injury and it’s unlikely he’ll pitch deep into games the rest of the way. Lynn still has to earn a spot.
Behind those three pitchers is where things get interesting. The Dodgers aren’t planning on doing many things conventionally this postseason. Most of that is out of necessity. But they also they believe it’s the best way to maximize the pitching staff.
On Tuesday, the Dodgers opened with Ferguson against the top of the Tigers’ lineup. The left-hander struck out the first two batters he faced before giving up a two-out solo homer to Spencer Torkelson. Ferguson has been the primary opener for the Dodgers this season, as Tuesday marked the fifth time he’s done so and fourth since Aug. 19.
Roberts said Ferguson and Brusdar Graterol are the two pitchers the Dodgers will likely lean on to open games in October. Graterol has done it just once this season and five over his career.
Ferguson would, in theory, open for right-handers such as Pepiot or Emmet Sheehan. Behind Ferguson on Tuesday, Pepiot allowed just one run over six strong innings of work.
“In the Minor Leagues, they had us do that a handful of times during the season so you can get that trial, I guess, so the first time you do it isn’t at this level,” Pepiot said. “I did it a few times last year and a few times this season. It’s the same mentality, same kind of thing, whether I come in and start the game or come in the second or third and even the fifth [inning] one time this year. It’s just kind of the same thing.”
The right-handed Graterol could open for a left-hander such as Ryan Yarbrough, who is the most experienced pitcher in the league pitching behind an opener, as he was part of the ‘18 Rays team.
It’ll be intriguing to see how the Dodgers build out their plans over the next two weeks. But you can certainly expect the opener being a big part of whatever they map out.
“I think in a vacuum, the piggybacking, the opener, works because it’s varied looks to the hitters,” Roberts said. “And then you layer in our guys’ willingness, the neutrality with a lot of the guys we have behind guys and then the openers. Whoever we choose, I think adds to that as well.”
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