Dodgers: Position Battles to Watch Down the Stretch

Ryu Vs. Wood

The Dodgers have been on a tear starting pitching wise. All of their starters have seemed to put together quality start after quality start. Always keeping the team in the game even while the offense has been feast or famine for a large part of the season.

The five man rotation at the moment is working out very nicely. However, come October the five man rotation will be cut down to four if the Dodgers make the playoffs.

Three spots seem as though they are locked in. That being Kershaw-Buehler-Hill. That three-headed monster at the top of the rotation has been elite as of late. Kershaw is finally pitching like Kershaw, Buehler is looking like a bonafide ace and D. Mountain has been pitching very well.

That’s not to say that the other two guys have not been pitching well, but those three have just separated themselves from the pack. Wood and Ryu have both put together solid starts. In fact, they have both been phenomenal down the stretch.

In August Wood posted a 2.05 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP. While Ryu posted 2.38 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP in the same amount of starts this August. Both pitchers have been balling out lately, and understand that they are pitching for their playoff lives.

Whoever does lose the competition will likely be moved into the bullpen for the playoffs and serve as a long reliever.  As of right now, the race is too close to call. Both pitchers have been really good. But, Ryu might cause some worries as he has always been hampered by the injury bug, making Wood the less risky choice. Wood also has World Series experience so that could come into play when deciding.