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Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw should be LA’s third playoff starter

By Michael Wittman

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the first inning giving up back to back home runs to the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on September 20, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the first inning giving up back to back home runs to the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on September 20, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 13: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the second inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 13, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Kershaw is battle and road tested

While all three of LA’s playoff starters are better at Dodger Stadium than they are away from it, Kershaw has the smallest ERA jump between his road and home splits.  This season Kershaw has an ERA of 2.89 at home and 3.54 on the road.  Buehler has an ERA of 2.86 at home and a road ERA of 3.66.  Ryu’s home ERA is 1.93 while his road ERA is 2.95.  While Ryu has the lowest road ERA, he has fared much better at Dodger Stadium in his career.

While Clayton Kershaw had the highest road ERA of the three in last year’s postseason, he has shown he can pitch in tough environments and feels like the starter you could trust on the road the most of the three.  Last year, Hyun-Jin Ryu started game one of the NLDS at home and he fired seven shutout innings.  Buehler also left a strong impression in the World Series, blanking the Red Sox for seven innings at Dodger Stadium.

With almost a run difference between the career ERA’s of Buehler and Ryu at home versus the road, starting Ryu and Buehler the first two games at home makes the most sense.  Not to mention the Dodgers likely want to go lefty-righty-lefty so it should be either Ryu or Kershaw in game one and Ryu is easier to trust at home.

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