This time, they aren’t overthinking. This time, they don’t have a choice.
The Dodgers will start Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the opening game of their National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres on Friday but not necessarily because they trust him more than Jack Flaherty.
In the regular season, Yamamoto never once pitched a traditional five-day cycle. Flaherty did.
If the Dodgers stuck to their original plan of starting Flaherty in Game 1 and Yamamoto in Game 2, only Flaherty would be available to return for a potential Game 5.