Washington Nationals’ manager Dusty Baker told reporters this afternoon that his choice for today’s starter came down to either Joe Ross or Reynaldo Lopez for the potentially decisive Game 4 of the NLDS with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Baker and his coaching staff ultimately went with Ross, the 23-year-old right-hander who returned from two-plus months on the DL for right shoulder inflammation to make three starts in September in which he put up a 2.79 ERA in 9 2⁄3 innings.
“We decided on Joe last night,” Baker said. “You know, we wrestled between Lopez and him, and you know, we know Joe will go shorter than Lopez, but we still have Lopez to back up.