Dodgers plan to cut short Kershaw's final start, let Greinke go
After his division-clinching one-hit shutout on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers are planning to shorten ace Clayton Kershaw's final outing of the regular season in an effort to keep him fresh for the postseason.
Manager Don Mattingly told reporters Wednesday that Kershaw will be on a strict pitch limit in his last scheduled start of the regular season on Sunday, although he didn't reveal the details of the limitation.
In his most recent outing, Kershaw threw 104 pitches with 13 strikeouts over nine scoreless innings to clinch the NL West at AT&T Park.
Continuing a tradition from former Dodgers manager Joe Torre, Mattingly plans to let a player manage the final game of the regular season.
Last year's player-manager was beloved clubhouse figure Juan Uribe, and Mattingly said he was considering letting Kershaw manage the team this year.
Only, that might make matters complicated, as Sunday is the Dodgers' final regular-season game.
"He may have to argue with himself," Mattingly joked, making reference to a heated discussion Kershaw had with Mattingly after he was taken out of the game following the fifth inning in a Sept. 24 start.
As for the Dodgers' right-handed ace, Greinke, Mattingly confirmed that the Cy Young contender will proceed as usual in his start on Saturday.
When asked about the Dodgers' rotation for the NLDS, Mattingly said that he wasn't ready to announce it quite yet.
