Dodgers’ Back-to-Back Hopes Will Now Hinge On $182 Million Pitcher

It’s a good problem to have when you’re deciding between Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Shohei Ohtani on who should start Game 1of the best-of-three Wild Card round for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night. Manager Dave Roberts decided on Snell for Game 1, Yamamoto for Game 2, and Ohtani for Game 3, if necessary. It’s the first of many decisions that Roberts will be judged by throughout the postseason. 

It’s tough to argue against any of the three starting pitchers getting the nod, but Snell is the right choice.

Dodgers Tap Blake Snell For Wild Card Game 1

Vote For Your Favorite Dodgers Duo: Ohtani – Yamamoto, Betts – Freeman, Hernandez – Hernandez

Yamamoto should finish behind the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes for the CY Young award in 2025 after finishing the year 12-8, with a 2.49 ERA (2nd in NL), 0.99 WHIP (2nd in NL), and OBA .183 (1st in NL) over 30 starts. Not to mention, Yamamoto was a savior for a depleted Dodgers rotation throughout the 2024 postseason en route to a World Series championship (4 GP, 2-0, 3.86 ERA). If the Dodgers drop Game 1 against the Reds, Yamamoto is the perfect choice to take the ball with his team’s back against the wall.

Ohtani continues to dominate the baseball world and is primed to make his debut in the postseason as a pitcher. Ohtani is still building himself up this season after missing all of 2024 on the mound with an injury, and reached his season-high with 91 pitches in his last start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 23. The Dodgers’ hope is that there is no Game 3 and they can save the greatest weapon in all of sports in Ohtani for Game 1 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies on the road. 

Snell is a two-time CY Young Award Winner (2018, 2023), in year one of a 5-year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers, attempting to win his first World Series and change the narrative that he can’t pitch deep into games. Over his last three starts, Snell has allowed just 1 earned run with 28 strikeouts and 5 walks. In consecutive starts, Snell’s pitch count went over the century mark with 104 pitches against the Colorado Rockies and a season-high 112 pitches against the Phillies, respectively. 

Dodgers Wild Card vs Reds

The Dodgers will need this version of Snell starting on Tuesday night. Dave Roberts’ decision to start Snell is backed by confidence. Game 1 in a best-of-three is the most pivotal one, and Snell is poised for the legendary October run missing from the left-hander’s resume, whose ‘stuff’ is as good as the games ever seen.  It’s the most important game in the Dodgers’ quest to become the first team since 2000 (New York Yankees) to win back-to-back World Series championships until the next game, of course. 

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