The Los Angeles Dodgers will send Cy Young winner Blake Snell to the mound for Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:08 p.m. PST.
Snell comes off three days of rest after the Dodgers’ NLDS victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, giving Los Angeles a chance to reset its rotation. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed the plan on Sunday: “Blake Snell will start for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Brewers.”
Support Local and Independent Sports Writing – Subscribe To the LAFB Network Today!
Postseason Form and Strategy
Vote For Your Favorite Dodgers Duo: Ohtani – Yamamoto, Betts – Freeman, Hernandez – Hernandez
Snell has been dominant in the postseason so far, striking out 18 batters and allowing just two runs across 13 innings in his two starts, including a win over the Reds in the Wild Card and Game 2 of the NLDS. Roberts emphasized the value of Snell’s durability: “I think the four starters, and how we line it up, is important, but I think four is all we need.”
Shohei Ohtani, while available, will not start Game 1 or Game 2. Instead, Ohtani will be positioned to pitch after an off-day, preserving him for potential Game 6 duties. “Ohtani has not pitched on fewer than five days rest much this season,” Roberts noted.
Dodgers’ Rotation Depth
With Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow not rested enough to start the opener, the Dodgers’ options were limited to Snell and Ohtani. By going with Snell, Los Angeles ensures its ace is available for both Game 1 and potentially Game 5 on four days’ rest. Roberts also addressed bullpen usage, stating, “No one knows how the series is going to play out, but we would do the best we can to get four starters and not have to take on a bullpen game.”
Historical Context
Blake Snell becomes the fifth LA pitcher since 1969 to start multiple Game 1s in the same postseason, joining Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Derek Lowe, and Jack Flaherty. Notably, Kershaw in 2017 remains the only pitcher from this group to earn wins in multiple Game 1 starts.
As the Dodgers embark on their NLCS journey, the team will lean on Snell’s postseason experience and heavy workload to set the tone against a tough Brewers lineup.