ATLANTA — If the Dodgers want to stay alive and force a Game 7 in the National League Championship Series against the Braves, they’ll need one ace to come up big in the absence of another.
The Dodgers have scratched Max Scherzer from his Game 6 start on Saturday because of right arm fatigue. Instead, they’ll turn to right-hander Walker Buehler on short rest. Buehler, who has made three starts this postseason, last pitched on Tuesday in Game 3 and was slated to take the mound for a potential Game 7 on Sunday.
“We feel really good [about Buehler],” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “Most importantly, Walker feels really good. I don’t want to put a number on what it’s going to be like. It’s about execution, performance. But as far as physical, mental, he feels fantastic.”
After pitching in relief in Game 5 of the NL Division Series against the Giants on Oct. 14, Scherzer admitted to having “dead arm” during his 79-pitch start in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Braves on Sunday. He struck out seven but allowed two runs on four hits over 4 1/3 innings in that no-decision.
Scherzer prepared to start Game 6, but the soreness never totally went away, and when Buehler and Scherzer played catch on Friday, it became apparent to the Dodgers that the best move would be to flip them in the rotation.
“When we came in yesterday, Walker and I were playing catch at the same time, and he felt he was in a much better spot than I was,” Scherzer said. “[Pitching coach Mark Prior] also agreed with that. Everybody thought, we all saw it together, that Walker was our best option to pitch Game 6, and I’ll give you whatever I got for Game 7.”
Scherzer’s status for a potential Game 7 is still somewhat dependent on how he feels Sunday. But if the Dodgers win Saturday night, it seems very likely that Scherzer would pitch in some capacity.
“Very, very confident,” Roberts said. “What he will be able to give us and how long, I don’t know the answer. I don’t think anybody does. But as far as him taking the baseball tomorrow, if we put ourselves in that position, I think, I feel very confident.”
The Dodgers could have opted to go with a bullpen game on Saturday in place of Scherzer, but they believe starting Buehler on short rest gives them the best chance to keep their season alive and force a Game 7.
“This is something that he’s only done [once] in his career, so that’s an obvious challenge and an unknown,” Roberts said. “But as far as his body, mind, I feel very confident. … Even Max said it: ‘Walker was in a much better position to make this start today than I was.’ So he’s aware of that.”
If the Dodgers do force a Game 7, their pitching options would be limited if Scherzer can’t start. Tony Gonsolin and David Price would be the likely options to provide the bulk of innings. Their other relief options would be dependent on how Game 6 plays out.
For the Dodgers, this is just the latest in a string of untimely injuries. They lost left-handed ace Clayton Kershaw for the season to a left forearm strain on Oct. 1. First baseman Max Muncy then suffered a dislocated left elbow on Oct. 3. He has been out since and is a long shot to return for a potential World Series.
In the NLCS, the Dodgers have lost Justin Turner and Joe Kelly for the season. Left-hander Justin Bruihl is also dealing with arm soreness and was unavailable in Game 5. The Dodgers brought an extra reliever to Atlanta in case they needed to replace Bruihl on the roster, but Roberts noted that Bruihl was feeling better and would be available for an inning, if needed, in Game 6.