Dodgers’ Walker Buehler to start NLDS Game 4 on short rest

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers volition inquire Walker Buehler to bash thing he’s ne'er done earlier successful bid to stave disconnected elimination.

Buehler volition commencement for the Dodgers successful Game 4 of their National League Division Series connected Tuesday night, conscionable 3 days aft starting Game 1 successful San Francisco. The 27-year-old Buehler has ne'er pitched connected less than 4 days’ remainder successful his career.

If the Dodgers triumph Game 4 and widen the best-of-five bid and Julio Urias is not utilized successful alleviation successful Game 4, helium would beryllium disposable to commencement Game 5 connected Thursday nighttime successful San Francisco connected regular rest. Urias pitched 5 innings successful the Dodgers’ Game 2 triumph connected Saturday.

Buehler threw 99 pitches successful 6-1/3 innings successful Game 1 astatine Oracle Park, allowing 3 runs connected six hits and a locomotion portion striking retired five. The Dodgers’ offense, however, was unopen retired successful a 4-0 loss.

That was lone Buehler’s 2nd nonaccomplishment successful 12 vocation postseason starts and the archetypal clip helium had allowed much than 2 runs successful a postseason commencement since Game 3 of the 2018 NL Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers (Buehler’s 2nd postseason start). In his 10 postseason starts since that NLCS game, Buehler has a 1.62 ERA and has held opposing batters to a .187 batting average.

“We person a batch of options. But Walker is 1 of the champion playoff pitchers I’ve ever seen,” Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen said. “He loves large games. He loves the moment. … This is his infinitesimal to shine. He did it past twelvemonth for us. When we had our backs to the wall, helium was our stopper.

“He’s a big-game pitcher.”

This volition beryllium Buehler’s 4th vocation commencement successful a postseason elimination crippled – pursuing Game 7 of the 2018 NLCS, Game 5 of the 2019 NLDS against the Washington Nationals and Game 6 of past year’s NLCS against the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers won 2 of those 3 games with Buehler allowing a full of 2 runs successful 17-1/3 innings.

“I deliberation he’s 1 of, if not the champion postseason pitcher successful baseball,” Dodgers outfielder Chris Taylor said. “It’s conscionable the mentality. And helium has power, strikeout stuff. He attacks hitters. That’s precisely who we privation retired there.”