Solid starts leave S.F., L.A. bullpens in good condition
LOS ANGELES — With Game 4 pitching plans in flux for the Giants and Dodgers, both teams could look to their bullpens to play a big role Tuesday.
Starting pitching has been strong for both teams in the first three games, with Games 1 and 2 featuring only the rare glimpse of a high-leverage reliever. Throw in Sunday’s off-day, and both bullpens ought to be fairly well-stocked for Game 4, as the Giants try to close out the Dodgers after a Game 3 1-0 win Monday night.
Logan Webb’s gem in Game 1 allowed the Giants to use just two relievers — Tyler Rogers for one batter and Camilo Doval to lock down a 4-0 win in a non-save situation.
Dodgers starter Julio Urias worked five innings in Game 2 and left with a five-run lead. Los Angeles used four relievers to finish that game, but a 9-2 decision didn’t require their top relievers.
Max Scherzer worked seven innings, using 110 pitches, for the Dodgers in Game 3. The Giants removed Alex Wood in the fifth inning, but Rogers got five outs to get them into the seventh, and they used only two other relievers — Jake McGee and Doval — to secure the win.
Doval’s two-inning outing puts him in question for Game 4. In 29 regular-season outings, Doval recorded more than three outs just twice. Rogers has a resilient arm — his 80 outings in the regular season led the NL — but his 29 pitches Monday were his most in a game all year.
Even if Rogers is unavailable Tuesday, his Game 3 outing likely preserved other arms for the Giants. Manager Gabe Kapler said before the game the Giants could start Anthony DeSclafani in Game 4 but that: “Everything’s on the table, bullpen game included.”
Dominic Leone, Zack Littell and Kervin Castro each appeared only in Game 2. McGee, who worked one inning in Game 2, got two outs Monday after replacing Rogers.
“I think, overall, we’re definitely prepared to throw a bullpen game if we need to,” McGee said before Monday’s game. “The last month, we threw I don’t even know how many bullpen games. But we had a few back-to-back bullpen games, our bullpen is really deep, we have a lot of guys down there who had success all year.
“I think we had like six guys with under a 3.00 (ERA) down there. When you have something like that, you can throw guys multiple innings and cover six innings, seven innings easily.”
Of the Dodgers’ top relievers, neither setup man Blake Treinen nor closer Kenley Jansen pitched in the first two games. Both worked an inning Monday and surely would be available to return in Game 4.
Corey Knebel, another lateinnings option, has pitched once in the series (Game 2). Joe Kelly, who had a key outing in the wild-card game, also pitched only in Game 2. Brusdar Graterol and Phil Bickford were the only L.A. relievers to pitch in Games 1 and 2. Neither worked in Game 3.
Tony Gonsolin will factor into the Dodgers’ pitching plans Tuesday, but it’s unclear whether he will start. Even if so, Gonsolin worked fewer than four innings in eight of 15 outings this season, so the Dodgers could use him as an opener or bulk-innings option and rely heavily on relievers.