The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres had their starting pitching assignments for Games 1 and 2 of their epic National League Division Series showdown set early Thursday.
Until they didn’t.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman announced in a press conference Thursday afternoon that he was swapping his previously announced starting pitchers for Games 1 and 2.
Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start Game 1 opposite San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease in Game 1 on Saturday. Right-hander Jack Flaherty will start Game 2 opposite San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish.
The Game 3 assignments have yet to be determined.
Dodgers haven’t internally finalized their NLDS Game 3 starting assignment, I’m told. Could be an all-hands-on-deck assignment if it’s a clinching scenario.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) October 3, 2024
Why the change? Friedman explained that by using Yamamoto in Game 1 instead of Game 2, it leaves open the possibility that the rookie from Japan could pitch at some point in the if-necessary Game 5 on Oct. 11.
More to come on this story on Newsweek Sports.
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