Per MLB.com Dodgers beat reporter Ken Gurnick (among others), Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will start Game-2 of the National League Championship Series on Sunday at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
Although there was never really much doubt that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts would give the ball to the 28-year-old Dallas, Texas native and three-time NL Cy Young award winner for Game-2, there was some, as Gurnick noted in earlier tweets on Saturday afternoon.
For those fond of such things, and aren’t we all, a Sunday start would line Kershaw up to pitch Game-6 (asterisk) on Saturday back at Wrigley Field on normal rest; six days of rest actually, because of the Friday travel day off. But as we all know – especially Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker – there is no such thing as normal rest when it comes to Clayton Kershaw and the postseason.
Regardless, you can absolutely positively bet the farm that Cubs manager Joe Maddon won’t make the same mistake that Dusty Baker made when he told the media after Game-4 of the NLDS: “I know Kershaw ain’t pitching … thank God.”
He did, of course.
…thank God.
And things got back to normal, Kenley relieving Kersh.