Field Level Media
04 Oct 2022, 14:25 GMT+10
With a week remaining before they open their playoff run, the Los Angeles Dodgers will offer a postseason glimpse over the final two games of the regular season.
Los Angeles (110-50) is scheduled to have Julio Urias on the mound Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies, with the left-hander believedto be the Game 1 starter when the National League Division Series begins for the Dodgers on Oct. 11.
On Wednesday, in the regular-season finale, the Dodgers will send lefty Clayton Kershaw to the mound. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is expected to be the Game 2 playoff starter, although manager Dave Roberts has said he reserves the right to make adjustments.
"My total focus is on the next start against Colorado," Urias said through an interpreter about the idea he could be the team's Game 1 starter. "After that, we'll have that conversation."
Despite a long wait before his first playoff outing, Urias (17-7, 2.12 ERA) is not expected to do any heavy lifting on Tuesday. After a spotty opening to the season, he is 10-1 with a 1.12 ERA over his past 13 starts (80 1/3 innings).
The impressive 2022 comes after Urias was the only 20-game winner in the major leagues last season, an accomplishment that came as he posted a 2.96 ERA. He has a combined 2.56 ERA over his past two seasons, covering 62 starts and 355 2/3 innings.
"I don't really worry about the things that people say or the accolades or anything like that," said Urias, who is 5-2 with a 4.99 ERA in 18 lifetime appearances (15 starts) against the Rockies. "I just focus on doing my job."
On Monday, the Rockies earned a 2-1 victory as the teams played the fourth game of an extended six-game series to close out the season. For the second consecutive game, the Dodgers were unable to become just the second National League team to reach 111 wins, after the 1906 Chicago Cubs, who finished with 116.
The Rockies are nowhere near that level of success with a 67-93 record this season, having already locked up last place in the NL West. But they found the pitching formula to knock off Los Angeles on Monday after taking a 4-1 victory on Sunday.
"There have been a lot of games in the last couple of months where we're in them, we just haven't generated enough offense," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "There have been times we have pitched well enough, or times when late in the game, the game got away from a member of our bullpen. So we've been in a lot of games."
Colorado will send right-hander Ryan Feltner (3-9, 6.01 ERA) to the mound on Tuesday. Feltner's only career outing against the Dodgers came July 29 in relief at Los Angeles, when he gave up three hits in 3 1/3 scoreless innings.
Feltner, in his second major league season, has been a mainstay in the Rockies' rotation since the start of August. However, he is just 2-6 since then, posting a 6.29 ERA in 11 starts.
--Field Level MediaGet a daily dose of Chicago Chronicle news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Chicago Chronicle.
More InformationSTANSTEAD, Quebec: U.S. authorities have decided to end a long-standing unwritten rule that allowed people from Stanstead, Quebec,...
NEW YOKK, New York - U.S. stocks fell sharply Wednesday with tech stocks, mainly those associated with AI, taking the brunt of the...
TORONTO, Canada: As the threat of U.S. tariffs looms, Canada is looking inward to strengthen its economy by removing domestic trade...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: StubHub is getting ready to hit the trading floor. The popular ticketing platform has officially filed to...
NEW YORK, New York - The rally in U.S. stocks petered out Tuesday, however tech stocks made a modest gains, while the industrials edged...
CALGARY, Canada: Canada's carbon pricing policy, long a central pillar of its climate strategy, is facing mounting pressure as political...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: New York State's highest court has struck down a law this week that would have allowed over 800,000 legal...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Industry leaders are pushing the Trump administration to clear regulatory obstacles slowing the rollout of self-driving...
(Photo credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images) The Chicago Bulls are brimming with belief following a fruitful road trip as they return...
(Photo credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images) The Sacramento Kings are mired in a four-game losing streak for the second time this...
(Photo credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images) A pair of likely Eastern Conference play-in teams will square off on Thursday, when the Miami...
(Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images) On Major League Baseball's day of aces, two of the best will oppose each other Thursday...