Dodgers NLDS Game Two Take Two

The Dodgers and Nats square off in game two after a rain delay yesterday.

Yesterday’s decision to rain out game two of the NLDS was already controversial. It was surely better than starting the game on time and having to stop the game after an inning or two, but pushing it back seemed doable. Instead, today. It allowed baseball fans to freely watch the USC game (on Pac-12 Network, so I still couldn’t) and the Cubs-Giants game.

If you would like to now how the weather was following the delay, Andy McCullough’s twitter feed is a good place to look.

Note the time stamps, for a game that was scheduled to start at 1:08.

Anyways, now we get an early Sunday morning game two. Rams and Raiders both play in the afternoon spots, so no harm, no foul.

For a weather update, the skies seem calm. It’s apparently cold and windy, but nothing that should delay the game.

The real tragedy in this is that yesterday’s preview is now relevant and useless. The starters are the same, the lineup is the same. Rather than copy+pasting all of that info, here’s the link to that.

There are still new developments. As reported earlier, Kenta Maeda will leave Washington early today to rest up before his game three start tomorrow.

The Dodgers have already all-but ruled out using Clayton Kershaw in game four regardless of how the series if going. Kershaw has pitched on short rest in past postseasons (despite the narrative, his starts on short rest have gone really well). Kershaw could probably handle six innings in game four if the series gets to that point, but that would throw Rich Hill into a potential game five start on short rest as well. One pitcher going on short rest is common and nothing to worry about, but two pitchers, both of whom have been hurt recently, going on short rest is not ideal. The Dodgers have the power to make it not matter, but if the series does extend past three games, Julio Urias will likely start four with Kershaw getting five on normal rest.

On the other hand, the Nationals are still undecided with how they’ll approach game four. Max Scherzer very well could return for that game in a must-win situation. Joe Ross is on the roster and could also start game four, but it depends how aggressively they want to handle Tanner Roark tonight and in a potential game five.

Next: Game Two Rained Out

The delay threw a wrench in both teams’ postseason plans, but it’s not like one team is more impacted than the other. Just something they’ll have to deal with.

Game two is scheduled for a 10:08 AM PST start and will be shown on FS1.