Following Thursday night’s exciting 11-2 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game-5 of the 2021 National League championship Series at a very loud Dodger Stadium to stave off elimination for an incredible record-setting eighth consecutive time this postseason, Dodger fans were feeling extremely optimistic, knowing that they would have their two best starting pitchers going in Games-6 and 7 at Truist Field in downtown Atlanta on Saturday and Sunday in future Hall of Fame right-hander Max Scherzer and 2021 NL Cy Young hopeful right-hander Walker Buehler.

That optimism, although not gone, took a huge hit late Friday evening when it was being widely reported that Scherzer had been scratched from his scheduled Saturday start.

A short while later, Dodgers MLB beat writer Juan Toribio tweeted this out:

Speculation is that Buehler and Scherzer might simply swap starts (assuming, of course, that the Dodgers prevail on Saturday to stave off elimination for a record-setting ninth consecutive time), but doing so would put Buehler in a short-rest situation.

Another option would be for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to have another bullpen game, which he has mastered as well as anyone in the game. As Dodgers fans know, the Dodgers skipper used seven relivers in Thursday’s bullpen game, including Game-5 opener Joe Kelly, who was removed after only .2 innings for “right bicep tightness.” Roberts later told reporters that the popular Mariachi-loving right-hander is done for the season.

To his credit – and foresight – Roberts made it a point that none of his relievers used on Thursday night faced more that six batters, which, with Friday’s off day, means that his entire stable of relievers should be available under similar circumstances for Game-6 on Saturday.

There is another option available for Roberts and the Dodgers, although it may not go over well with Dodger fans. Roberts told reporters on Friday morning that 36-year-old left-hander David Price had been recalled as Kelly’s replacement on his 26-man NLCS roster. Although the Murfreesboro, TN native and first-round draft pick in 2007 by the (then) Tampa Bay Devil Rays out of Vanderbilt has been used primarily as a starter over his 13-year MLB career and posted a 5-2 record in the 39 games in which he appeared with the Dodgers during the 2021 regular season (11 starts), he had a less-than-impressive 4.03 ERA and gave up eight home runs in his combined 73.2 innings pitched.

An announcement on who will start/open Saturday’s crucial win-or-go-home NLCS Game-5 is expected early on Saturday morning.

Stay tuned…

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