DENVER -- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that he doesn't see Clayton Kershaw pitching on short rest in the best-of-five National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile, another way of saying that Alex Wood will be the Game 4 starter on the road.
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Although the only probable starter Roberts has confirmed is Kershaw for Game 1 on Friday at home, he said Rich Hill will throw a simulated game Monday and Yu Darvish will have one Wednesday, lining them up to start Game 2 at home and Game 3 on the road, respectively, five days after their sim games.
Wood (16-3 with a 2.72 ERA) had been a candidate to bolster a struggling bullpen, but the club does not want to push Kershaw one month removed from a five-week stint on the disabled list for a strained lower back, one year after suffering a herniated disk. Kershaw could then pitch a Game 5 on extra rest.
"We've assured him, the reason we acquired a guy like Yu Darvish is to keep him away from short rest," Roberts said. "You look at our potential playoff starters, we're in pretty good shape, we're in great shape. So, like I told Clayton, we don't see him pitching on short rest this series."
Wood is 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA against Arizona (1-0, 5.06 at Chase Field) this season and 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA against Colorado. Kershaw is 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA against Arizona this season and 3-2 with a 4.01 ERA against Colorado (1-1 with a 4.76 at Coors Field). Wood could be available out of the bullpen in Game 1.
"Anything should be on the table," said Roberts. "If you don't run those plays out, you're not being thorough."
Speaking of left-handers in the bullpen, Luis Avilan won't be one of them. He hasn't pitched in 10 days because of a tender shoulder. After throwing a bullpen session at this Wednesday's workout, he will be sent to Arizona to rehab in hopes of being available for a second round.
That means Trade Deadline acquisitions Tony Cingrani and Tony Watson will be the two lefties in the bullpen. Kenley Jansen, Brandon Morrow, Kenta Maeda, Josh Fields and Pedro Baez figure to be the right-handers. It's unclear if there will be room for Thomas Stripling or Hyun-Jin Ryu.