Dodgers' rotation plans for World Series make more sense than you'd think

On Tuesday night, the Dodgers revealed that Jack Flaherty would be their guy for Game 1 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium. Flaherty was always going to see the Yankees at some point, as one of just three LA starters who they'll have to figure out how to stretch over a potential seven-game series.

There is an added element of intrigue, though; the Yankees pulled out of a deal with the Tigers for Flaherty at the trade deadline, citing their concerns with back issues he'd been pitching through over the preceding months, which opened the door for the Dodgers to swoop in in the final minutes. That seemed like a convenient Yankees lie to take some heat off of themselves after not being able to make a deal happen, but the Yanks will get to see whether or not they made the right call in Game 1.

Dave Roberts also confirmed Yoshinobu Yamamoto (who spurned the Yankees this offseason and will almost certainly hear some boos if he pitches at Yankee Stadium) would be the Game 2 starter, with Walker Buehler and a bullpen game likely for Games 3 and 4.

This was sort of the natural progression from starting Flaherty first; it was the strategy the Dodgers employed during the NLCS, taking advantage of the off-day on Sunday to give Yamamoto the extra day of rest he's been accustomed to this season.

Dodgers World Series Rotation: Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto confirmed as Games 1 and 2 starters vs. Yankees

There's some indecision about whether the Dodgers will put up Buehler or a bullpen game for Game 3 and then go to the other for Game 4, and it'll probably be a day-of decision, after the Dodgers have seen how they've fared over the first two games.

Flaherty's performance in the postseason so far has been all over the place — 5 1/3 innings and four runs given up in his one start against the Padres, seven innings and no runs given up in his first appearance against the Mets, and then an abysmal three innings and eight runs given up in Game 5 of the NLCS. Yamamoto's performance has been much of the same, with a lot of teeter-tottering from very good to okay to outright bad, but he also hasn't gone more than five innings in October so far.

But the Dodgers are likely to have some more bullpen reinforcements on the way in Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol, who have both progressed to facing live hitters. The Dodgers need all of the extra arms they can get at this point, when they only have three starters and two who might not be able to give them the length they need.