Dodgers set NLDS starters; GM doesn't anticipate Ohtani pitching - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — Jack Flaherty will start Game 1 of this weekend's National League Division Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers, with rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto set for Game 2.

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said Wednesday that the team hasn't finalized plans for Game 3 and potentially Game 4, but Walker Buehler and rookie Landon Knack will be involved.

The Dodgers will play the winner of the NL Wild Card Series between the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres, who lead the best-of-three series 1-0.

The best-of-five NLDS opens Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

Last month, manager Dave Roberts left open the possibility of Shohei Ohtani being an option on the mound later in the playoffs, saying at the time «anything's possible» and it was «not a 0 percent chance.»

Gomes said Wednesday that Ohtani will continue throwing bullpen sessions as he rehabs from his second elbow surgery a year ago, but there are no plans for him to face live hitters, much less take the mound in an actual game.

«We don't anticipate him pitching in the postseason,» the GM said.

Instead, the Dodgers will rely on Ohtani's bat to help carry them, as he did in his record-setting first season with the team.

Flaherty joined the Dodgers from the Detroit Tigers at the July trade deadline. The deal brought him back to his hometown. The right-hander had a 3.58 ERA in 55⅓ innings over 10 starts for the Dodgers.

Yamamoto has made just four starts since coming off the injured list, having missed nearly three months with an arm injury. The right-hander allowed two runs at Colorado in his final tune-up last weekend. He pitched five innings, his longest outing since returning.

Yamamoto may be an MLB rookie, but he's got plenty of big-game experience in his native