In a game that was supposed to happen on Saturday but was postponed by rain, the Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the Washington Nationals at 1:08 pm ET. The Dodgers will send Rich Hill to the mound as they look to take a commanding 2-0 lead against Tanner Roark and a potent Nationals lineup.
The 36-year old Hill will be making his second postseason start and first in nine years. Hill’s first start, in 2007 with the Chicago Cubs, lasted only three innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, Hill is a different pitcher compared to nine years ago.
In ’07, Hill was an average pitcher with a 3.92 ERA in 32 starts. A workhorse for the 2007 Cubs team, Hill struck out 183 batters and gave up 63 walks in 195 innings pitched. Traded from the Oakland Athletics on this year’s trade deadline, Hill has compiled a 1.83 ERA and .786 WHIP in six starts with the Dodgers. However, he’s a relative unknown to the Nationals with only five players registering plate appearances against him.
Hill’s counterpart, Tanner Roark, has had a great season after an off-year in 2015, returning to the rotation after an experiment in the bullpen. Roark, in his own right, has been the workhorse of the Nationals’ rotation by registering 210 innings pitched, a 2.83 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP across 33 starts. Roark has never started a playoff game, but had two relief appearances during the Nationals’ 2014 postseason run.
Roark is coming off a season in which he averaged a career high 7.4 K/9 and 172 strikeouts. In his only start against the Dodgers on June 21, Roark threw 7 1/3 innings, surrendering three runs and striking out five batters. However, Roark will face a hot-hitting Dodgers team that is poised to make a deep run in the 2016 playoffs.
PREDICTION: The Nationals will win this game at home behind Tanner Roark and a lineup that has rarely seen Rich Hill pitch. The Nationals will see Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper turn in big games as they even the series up against the Dodgers.
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