Dodgers look to Ryu, not Kershaw, to set tone

L OS ANGELE S » These aren’t the same Dodgers that won 104 games, ran away in the NL West, and fell one victory short of a World Series title last year.

Example A: After a slow start, they won 92 games and needed Game 163 to earn their sixth straight division title.

Example B: Clayton Kershaw won’t be opening the postseason as the Game 1 starter for the first time in six consecutive playoff appearances.

Example C: Kershaw told HyunJin Ryu that the South Korean lefthander was going to take the mound on Thursday night against Mike Foltynewicz and the Atlanta Braves to begin the bestoffive Division Series.

“I’m obviously kind of nervous, but I think it’s a good thing,” Ryu said Wednesday.

The Dodgers obviously think flipflopping Kershaw and Ryu is the right move, with manager Dave Roberts saying it allows both pitchers to have five days’ rest between starts. If Kershaw started Game 1, he would be on four days’ rest, while Ryu would be on six days’ rest.

Kershaw starting the opener has always been the surest sign that it’s October. The face of the franchise has started eight of the past 10 postseason Game 1s. He can opt out of his contract after the World Series.

“He obviously wanted to pitch Game 1 and expected to,” Roberts said. “But after talking to him and explaining our thoughts, he accepted it and he just said he’ll be ready to go for the second game.”

Kershaw often has started on short rest in recent postseasons, but the Dodgers don’t plan on that this time. Rookie Walker Buehler is set to go in Game 3, having impressed enough to be the heir apparent to Kershaw.

“It doesn’t have to all fall on his shoulders like it has in the past,” starterturnedreliever Alex Wood said of Kershaw.