SAN DIEGO -- Two days after clinching a fourth consecutive division title, the Los Angeles Dodgers have set three spots of a potential four-man rotation for the National League Division Series and have locked in an outfielder as well. John Ross Bengals Jersey .Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that left-hander Clayton Kershaw will start Game 1 and left-hander Rich Hill will take the mound in Game 2 of the series against the Washington Nationals. When the series shifts cities, the Dodgers will come back with right-hander Kenta Maeda for Game 3.Providing support for those pitchers will be outfielder Yasiel Puig, who has made it back from an early August demotion to the minor leagues to secure a spot on the postseason roster.Hes earned it, Roberts said.After the Dodgers work their way through their first three starters in the NLDS, they can come back to Kershaw on short rest for Game 4 or add a fourth starter. Roberts said he is keeping his options open that deep into the best-of-five series.While Kershaw has come back on short rest in previous NLDS matchups, his missing 75 days this season with a lower-back injury could have the Dodgers taking a more cautious approach. Then again, if the club is facing elimination, Kershaw could be pressed into duty for an elimination game.After team president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said last month that Julio Urias would not start if the team made the postseason, that plan has now changed. Urias will start Thursday at San Diego, and the 20-year-old rookie could be the rotations fourth man in October.I think its still on the table, Roberts said. I think when you get to the postseason you have to go with your best, and weve been so mindful of his usage. We obviously do a lot of research and studying with matchups. So at the end of the day, Julio is our best matchup, and it makes sense, then yeah its worth the discussion. So its still on the table.Urias is 5-2 this season with a 3.53 ERA and has made huge strides since struggling in his major league debut against the Mets at Citi Field on May 27, when he gave up three runs on five hits and four walks in 2? innings.Taking his first two major league appearances out of the mix, Urias is 5-1 with a 2.85 ERA in 15 games, 12 of them starts. And he has made just three appearances in September, throwing only 11 innings.That is exactly what kept Julio in play moving forward because there were times where we felt that we could have pushed his innings a little more considering where he was at in the rotation, Roberts said. But because we didnt and had other guys step up in that role, it has given us this flexibility.Kershaw will make his final appearance of the regular season Saturday at San Francisco?and then be pointed toward his Oct. 7 start against the Nationals. He will go into the postseason with five starts since returning from the disabled list Sept. 9. He is 1-1 with a 0.86 ERA in 21 innings since returning, giving him a 1.65 ERA this season.Hill, who missed six weeks with blisters on two fingers of his left (pitching) hand, is 2-2 with a 1.93 ERA in four starts since returning from the disabled list.Maeda was the starter in Tuesday nights 7-1 loss at San Diego and will start the season finale at San Francisco. By making these two starts, he will receive a $1.5 million bonus on his incentive-laden contract. He already has made more than $8 million in bonuses on top of his $3 million base pay.Obviously what Kenta has done for us, and I dont know all the specifics of his contract, but I know in the spirit of his contract if he performs and he posts, hes going to be compensated, Roberts said. I applaud our organization for acknowledging that and putting Kenta in a position to continue to be compensated and take care of his family because he has deserved it.Both on-field and off-field factors led to Puigs demotion in August, after the Dodgers acquired outfielder Josh Reddick from the Oakland As. But since his return when rosters expanded in September, Puig has helped the Dodgers with run production against left-handed pitching, their biggest weakness this season.Its tough to humble yourself and check your ego and go to [Triple-A] Oklahoma City and be a minor league player, but he did that and learned from it and he earned the right to be a major league player, Roberts said. We talk a lot about it being a privilege to be a major league player, and to his credit, he really understands what that means. And he has done a lot to help us win a lot of baseball games. Jordan Willis Jersey .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Jordan Willis Youth Jersey .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights.http://www.nflbengalsgearofficial.com/carl-lawson-jersey/ . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. WASHINGTON -- Clayton Kershaw was hardly at his best.Nothing new when it comes to October.He allowed eight hits and three runs. He needed 101 pitches just to make it through five innings. His career postseason ERA even rose a bit, up to 4.65.Didnt matter a bit to the lefty. Only this did: He earned a rare playoff victory.Backed by early homers from rookie sensation Corey Seager and Justin Turner off Max Scherzer in a matchup of Cy Young Award winners that promised more than it delivered, Kershaw helped the Los Angeles Dodgers edge the Washington Nationals 4-3 Friday in Game 1 of their NL Division Series.It was a grind. A lot of guys on base all the time. Definitely wasnt easy, Kershaw said. As close as you can bend without breaking, I guess.His work done, Kershaw was able to relax in the dugout, chewing gum and blowing bubbles while watching relievers Joe Blanton, Grant Dayton, Pedro Baez and Kenley Jansen combine to give up one hit over four scoreless innings. Jansen got his first five-out save since April.Whatever weve got to do to win, right? Those guys are up to the challenge, Seager said about the Dodgers bullpen. And theyve been up to it all year.Game 2 in the best-of-five matchup is Saturday at Washington.Facing the NL East champs, Kershaws three runs might not sound like an exorbitant total, but an opponent scored that many only once in the leftys preceding 16 starts. And there was a stop-and-start feel to the evening, because of plenty of boo-inducing mound visits from catcher Yasmani Grandal.I wanted to be sure on the signs. We were trying to change `em up pretty often, said Kershaw, who improved to 3-6 in the playoffs , a far cry from his regular-season record of 126-60 with a 2.37 ERA and three Cy Young Awards. It was mainly that I had so many guys on second base.Certainly did.Kershaw left the bases loaded in the second, and stranded two runners in both the third and fifth -- striking out Danny Espinosa along the way each time.We had him on the ropes a couple times, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said, and, you know, the big hit just escaped us.There was also a baserunning blunder by NL MVP contender Daniel Murphy in the seventh inning.Murphy, who hadnt started a game since Sept. 17 because of a strained glute muscle, reached when Baez walked him, but then was thrown out trying to steal second. Baker said it was Murphys decision to run there and acknowledged being surprised by the attempt.Theres two choices on that, Murphy said. Either be safe or dont run.In all, Washington went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.That meant the Nationals repeatedly let Kershaw off the hook. He sat out more than two months with a bad back before returning to the NL West winners in September and hadnt thrown more than 91 pitches since coming back.So what if he struggled?Itt feels good to win, and it feels good to win in this situation, Kershaw said. Carl Lawson Bengals Jersey. If I had pitched seven shutout innings and we lost, its a different feeling. At this time of year, you kind of just throw the stats out the window and you just win the game.He was staked to a 4-0 lead thanks mainly to Seager and Turner, before slowly giving back most of that margin.Kershaw allowed only one stolen base during 149 innings in the regular season, then allowed two on a single pitch in the third, when Bryce Harper (who had doubled) and Jayson Werth (who had walked) moved up. That became big when Anthony Rendon ripped a single to left field on a slider that didnt really slide, bringing both runners home and getting Washington to 4-2.Trea Turners sacrifice fly in the fourth cut the Dodgers lead to a run.Like Washingtons Turner, L.A.s Seager is a rookie who has not played like one all year long.On the first pitch he saw from Scherzer, Seager turned on a 97 mph fastball and hit it to the deepest part of Nationals Park, beyond the 402-foot sign in center field, for a 1-0 lead.Scherzer plunked the next batter, Justin Turner, on the left arm. For whatever reason, the 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner for Detroit -- and a 20-game winner whos a leading contender for the NL honor this year -- never truly settled in.The Dodgers made it 4-0 in the third on Chase Utleys RBI single, then Justin Turners two-run shot on a 77 mph curveball. The ball sailed over the head of Werth, who jumped in vain to try to make a grab, then slammed his glove against the left-field wall.Homers have been Scherzers biggest problem the past two seasons: He allowed 27 in 2015, and a major league-high 31 in 2016.I made some mistakes, and they cost me, Scherzer said. I take ownership of that, and Im accountable for that.MAKING HISTORYBaker and L.A.s Dave Roberts became the first pair of black managers to face off in a postseason series. During pregame introductions, they met near home plate for a long embrace.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg threw a bullpen hours before Game 1 -- his first time on a mound since he hurt his right elbow a month ago. He was ruled out for the NLDS, but the Nationals hope he could return if the team advances. ... All-Star C Wilson Ramos, out for the season with a torn knee ligament, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.UP NEXTIn Game 2, RHP Tanner Roark (16-10, 2.83 ERA) starts for the Nationals, taking the assignment that likely would have gone to Strasburg if he were healthy. LHP Rich Hill (3-2, 1.84 ERA in six starts after a trade from Oakland) will pitch for the Dodgers. He was let go from Washingtons Triple-A Syracuse affiliate last year. Cheap NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaCheap Jerseys From ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Jerseys ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaNFL Cheap JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
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