Dodgers will pitch Kuroda in Game 3 of NLCS
The Dodgers announced their 25-man roster for the National League Championship Series, and it included two changes from their roster for the previous round: Hiroki Kuroda, who was sidelined with a bulging disk in his neck, and left-hander Scott Elbert are in; Jon Garland and Jeff Weaver are out.
Manager Joe Torre said that Kuroda will be the Dodgers’ Game 3 starter in Philadelphia. He made that decision after he and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt went to Arizona on Tuesday to watch Kuroda work an instructional league game.
“I wasn’t hopeful he would be ready for this round, with the way things started for him,” said Torre, “and that’s why I thought it was important that Honeycutt and I both go to Arizona yesterday, to see that and not leave that decision to somebody else to tell us how he did.”
Kuroda, sidelined by an oblique injury early in the season and a concussion late in the season, went 8-7 with a 3.76 ERA in 21 games (20 starts) for Los Angeles. He was the club’s best pitcher in the 2008 postseason and started the Dodgers’ only win against the Phillies in the NLCS, allowing two earned runs in six innings.
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As a result of this, right-hander Chad Billingsley, once considered the team’s ace, will pitch in relief. He went 3-7 with a 5.20 ERA after the All-Star break. He didn’t pitch in the Dodgers’ NLDS sweep over St. Louis.
“I have no problem with it,” Billingsley said. “I’ve always told Joe that whatever situation he puts me in, I’ll always do the best I can.”
Behind Game 1 starter Clayton Kershaw will come Vicente Padilla. Kuroda and Randy Wolf will start the first two games in Philadelphia. Padilla earned the Game 2 start off his seven strong innings against St. Louis in Game 3 of the first round.
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