If Kershaw and Greinke outduel deGrom and Syndergaard then not only will the Mets have their backs against the wall but they will have used up a few important bullets that they may not be able to get back. And most importantly, he’s handled the first three projected NLDS starters for the Mets pretty decently.
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Full Tank. Concerned about the workload of their young starting pitchers, the Mets rested Harvey, deGrom and Syndergaard down the stretch with an eye toward keeping them fresh for October. Aside from being the team’s best bat off the bench, Uribe has been a steadying presence in the clubhouse.
He had a strong start at Dodger Stadium on July 3, allowing one run and two hits over six innings.
After that, it’s uncertain who would get the ball if Game 4 is necessary.
That put the 27-year-old pitcher, the National League’s most valuable player in 2014, in an elite “300” club along with Curt Schilling (2002) and Hall of Famer Randy Johnson (2000, 2001 and 2002).
It’s uncertain who would start for the Dodgers if a fourth game is needed. Andre Ethier, Adrian Gonzalez, and Chase Utley have combined for a batting average of over. It’s uncalled for to judge the Mets on such amusements, particularly when they didn’t generally have their top-decision lineup on the field. We’ll see if Kershaw and Co. can finally get over the hump this year and advance to the NLCS and beyond.
Kershaw’s postseason struggles have been well-documented.
At the age of 27, Kershaw has already won two Cy Young awards and now has once again become a part of baseball history.
Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig was one of several batters to face living pitching in a simulated game during Tuesday’s workout at Dodger Stadium, but his roster status for the National League Division Series remains in question. Kershaw has pitched on short rest in each of the last two postseasons.
Tim Hudson (8-9) allowed three runs and three hits in 2 1-3 innings in the final start of his 17-year big league career.
This series will be Don Mattingly’s third consecutive postseason as manager; the Dodgers have failed to advance to the NLCS all three years.
Facing a shortened pitch count, Clayton Kershaw didn’t waste any time going after his 300th strikeout. It sits in the mid 90’s with plenty of late life making it tough on both lefties and righties.
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Moreover, with four days in between the end of the regular season and the start of the postseason for New York, how the Mets ended the regular season, for better or worse, has little bearing on how they’ll perform in the playoffs after such a long layoff. Although Michael Conforto hit over. But with Bryant and Arrieta, hopes are high at Wrigley Field, the quaint ballpark that moved into the 21st century this year with a renovation that included – gasp! – a 3,990-square foot video board above the left-field bleachers and a smaller one in right.
