One team will win Game-5 of the 2021 National League Division Series on Thursday evening at Oracle Park in San Francisco to advance to the Championship Series to face the Atlanta Braves. The other team’s next official baseball activity will be when pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training in late February 2022, it’s as simple as that. What boggles the mind is that the losing team will have won 107 (or 106) regular-season games.

But, “To the victor go the spoils,” as they say – whoever they are.

The Dodger will send 25-year-old left-hander Julio Urias with his MLB-leading (and Cy Young-worthy) 20 wins and 2.96 ERA to the mound. The Giants will counter with 24-year-old right-hander Logan Webb, who finished the 2021 campaign with an 11-3 record and respectable 3.03 ERA. Both won their first NLDS games earlier this past week.

“The adrenaline definitely changes, and the thought process a little bit,” Urías told reporters through an interpreter on Wednesday afternoon. “We have a great team, and I have great support behind me, so we’re confident going into [Thursday’s] game.”

As noted, Urias won Game-2 of the 2021 NLDS last Saturday at Oracle Park, when he allowed only one run on three hits while striking out five and walking one in his 5.0 innings of work.

“This year, I think he just continued to build on his experience, and it’s kind of propelled him to this season to just be an outstanding performer all year for us,” Dodger manager Dave Roberts said of his young left-hander on Wednesday afternoon.

“He just gets on the mound like he’s been there, he’s done it, and he’s got so much confidence in himself that it just kind of oozes out on everyone else,” Dodgers future Hall of Fame outfielder Mookie Betts added. “I’m sure he’ll have that confidence oozing out, and we’ll just go out there to win one game.”

“Win one game,” indeed.

…or the Dodgers next official baseball activity will be when pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training in late February 2022.

Play Ball!

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