Dodgers: Mike Clevinger presents unexpected challenge in Game 1

Mike Clevinger will be facing the Dodgers on Tuesday night, but that’s nothing to panic about.

Los Angeles Dodgers fans were presented with an unfortunate conundrum after dispatching the undermanned Brewers in the Wild Card Round.

Root for the Cardinals in the opposite series, inviting Devil Magic into the bubble for their next round of competition? Or root for the Padres, their division rival and owners of the October Narrative thus far, entertaining fans far beyond the boundaries of San Diego?

As entertaining as Slam Diego was during the regular season, the team tiptoed sleepily to the brink of elimination in Game 2 before waking up to defeat the Cards. And, besides, the Dodgers could structure their offensive game plan around co-aces Dinelson Lamet and Mike Clevinger both being absent for their showdown…right?

Well, about that…

Felled with a biceps injury that many thought could remove the biggest trade deadline piece of 2020 from the entire postseason, Clevinger will instead be starting Game 1 on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field.

But just because the name holds tremendous weight does not mean the Dodgers should be thrown off their axis.

To wit, Clevinger starting Game 1 does not dramatically alter the pitching equation for the Pads. Beyond him, we are still left with relievers masquerading as starters, as well as an overtaxed bullpen attempting to patch together a maximum of five straight games without a shred of rest. A uniform redesign does not mask the fact that two-pitch Chris Paddack and Zach Davies will be the followers once more this round; Lamet remains sidelined.

Plus, Clevinger is impactful, for now, in name only. He is at a full enough strength level to participate, but it is heretofore unknown how much wallop he still packs in his strained right arm. It’s barely even known what type of pitcher he is in the National League.

Clevinger’s Padres tenure consists of three full starts, only two of which came against NL competition: a seven-inning shutout of the Giants, and five iffy four-run innings at home against the Rockies. Clevinger changes the equation because of his larger-than-life persona and star recognition, not because he’s a unique wrench in the Dodgers’ methodical offense.

https://twitter.com/MikeClevinger/status/1313535192716308480?s=20

Regardless, Clevinger’s rise from the depths does change the narrative entering Game 1, not to mention that worries are running rampant about Walker Buehler’s blister issue on the other side.

If the Dodgers scuffle, however, they’ll still be very much more alive in the resulting games, where San Diego’s pitching will be once again brought back to square one.

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