Cubs put left-hander Rob Zastryzny on NLCS roster

Manager Dave Roberts said he has not decided who will start Game 4.

The Cubs and Dodgers were eliminated by the NL champion Mets last season. He said he had fun with the rush of energy that came with closing out a series clincher, but is trying to distance himself from the memory quickly with the heavily favored Cubs up next.

The Los Angeles Dodgers advanced to the National League Championship Series for the fourth time in the past nine years with a nail-biting 4-3 Game 5 victory over the Washington Nationals.

The Dodgers won the NL West with a 91-71 record, and beat the Washington Nationals in a thrilling five-game NLDS. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series, which started at 7:08 p.m., is being broadcast on FoxSports1 and 670-AM.

One way or the other, the victor of this series will end a long drought.

This will be the third overall meeting of the season between the Cubs and Dodgers and first playoff meeting since the 2008 NLDS (Dodgers won 3-0). The Chicago Cubs host Game 1 of the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Satu.

A Redditor tracked down the box score from the August 19, 2006 Gulf Coast League game between Kershaw’s Dodgers and the Nationals. The Indians’ pitching situation in this series is much more volatile.

Hold that thought though. Heyward scored easily, and Baez took second base.

Alright, still looks good. He walks the first batter he faces, Kris Bryant.

The five Cubs lefties on their NLCS roster combined to throw 31 2/3 innings this year against the Dodgers and allow four runs (three in one five-inning start by Montgomery) and strike out 31. Maeda has walked a Cub in each of the last three innings, however. Bingo, we have found a component that the Cubs can work to exploit this evening.

Josh Tomlin was moved up two days and will pitch for Cleveland in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series after scheduled starter Trevor Bauer cut open his right pinkie while fixing one of the drones he likes to build and fly. Among pitchers who have appeared in at least 250 games, Chapman’s.393 OPS against lefties is the best ever – and not by a little. Sounds okay to me.

Roberts said he wanted his ace, who was limited to 21 starts this season because of a back injury, also available for Game 6, if necessary. Unsustainable? Yes. But we’ll talk about that another time. “So, we’re not going to let – if we make a mistake, we’re not going to blame it on a curse or anything else like that”.

Lester was quick to use Game 4 as the flawless example. The Dodgers put 28 players on the disabled list this season, the most for any team since at least 1987. But when you break down each aspect of offense, the Dodgers have their weak spots and Lester will certainly know how to exploit them.

The team used Maeda on Monday in Game 3 of the NLDS, Kershaw on Tuesday in Game 4, and then they used starters Rich Hill and Julio Urias in Game 5 on Thursday.

“He’s good. And right now he’s at the top of his game”, Maddon said. No, maybe not that drastic. A tiring Jansen was pushed to career-high 51 pitches in Game 5, so his availability – and effectiveness – will be a question mark early in NLCS.

It won’t be easy for either team to advance, but one of them has to. Only time will tell.

The major change for the Cubs was the addition of rookie left-hander Rob Zastryzny.