Dodgers aim to sweep Reds in NL Wild Card Series today; Shohei Ohtani will ‘probably’ start potential Game 3
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Led by two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers are set to square off against the Reds on Wednesday night in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series.
After powering past Cincinnati in the series opener, the Dodgers have a 1-0 lead in the series and will move on to the Division Series if they are able so secure another victory at Chavez Ravine. The game is scheduled to start at 6:08 p.m. PT.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 201 strikeouts) has been named as Wednesday night’s probably starter for L.A., with Zack Littell (10-8, 3.81 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 130 strikeouts) set to go for the Reds.
Freddie Freeman is 11 for 35 with a double, three home runs and seven RBIs over the past 10 games. Ohtani leads the Dodgers with 89 extra base hits (25 doubles, nine triples and 55 home runs).
He will “probably” start a potential decisive Game 3 of the wild-card series, or pitch the opener of an ensuing National League Division Series if his team advances sooner, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Monday’s workout at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani made his final regular-season start on Sept. 23. Yamamoto, meanwhile, lined up on his normal five days’ rest for Game 2. Roberts said allowing Ohtani to utilize the Thursday off day after his start played a part in holding him back for a potential Game 3.
The Dodgers are 93-69 overall and 52-29 in home games, and they have the third-ranked team batting average in the National League at .253.
Cincinnati is 83-79 overall and 38-43 on the road. The Reds have gone 32-19 in games when they did not allow a home run.
As the playoffs approach, Major League Baseball is dealing with a flurry of online ticket thefts tied to its Ballpark app.
The teams meet Wednesday for the eighth time this season. The Dodgers are up 6-1 in the season series.
The Dodgers ended a lethargic, inconsistent regular season in dominant fashion, reeling off 15 wins in a stretch of 20 games. All told, they finished with 93 victories, their lowest total in seven years and a far cry from the wins record so many outsiders pegged them for at the outset. It forced them to play in the wild-card round for the first time since Major League Baseball’s postseason format expanded. But they believed they had found their best selves heading into the playoffs.
Elly De La Cruz leads the Reds with 22 home runs while slugging .440. Spencer Steer is 8 for 34 with three home runs and seven RBIs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Dodgers: 8-2, .250 batting average, 2.96 ERA, outscored opponents by 24 runs
Reds: 6-4, .233 batting average, 3.20 ERA, outscored opponents by three runs
INJURIES: Dodgers: Nick Frasso: 60-Day IL (undisclosed), Kirby Yates: 15-Day IL (hamstring), Michael Kopech: 15-Day IL (knee), Brock Stewart: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Tony Gonsolin: 60-Day IL (elbow), Evan Phillips: 60-Day IL (forearm), Kyle Hurt: 60-Day IL (elbow), Michael Grove: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Brusdar Graterol: 60-Day IL (shoulder), River Ryan: 60-Day IL (elbow), Gavin Stone: 60-Day IL (shoulder)
Reds: Rhett Lowder: 60-Day IL (forearm), Ian Gibaut: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Wade Miley: 60-Day IL (flexor), Carson Spiers: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Tyler Callihan: 60-Day IL (forearm), Brandon Williamson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Julian Aguiar: 60-Day IL (elbow)
ESPN and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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