John Jones-Imagn Images Sunday night’s NLCS Game 6 saw an interesting matchup between the starting pitchers. The Mets started Sean Manaea, a 32-year-old lefty, while the Dodgers went with Michael Kopech, a 28-year-old righty.
The Dodgers decided to use Kopech as a starter due to injuries in their rotation, which has been a challenge for them throughout the postseason. Kopech struggled in his start, while Manaea, who had performed well in previous postseason outings, faltered early, giving up runs to Tommy Edman.
The Dodgers managed to strand runners and limit the damage, while the Mets found themselves trailing early. The game ended with a 10-5 victory for the Dodgers, featuring a total of 14 pitchers and 22 hits.
This trend of shorter outings for starting pitchers in the postseason is not new. In recent years, starting pitchers have been pitching fewer innings on average during the playoffs. Despite this, their performance has been respectable, with lower run averages compared to previous years.
The Guardians, in particular, struggled with their starting rotation throughout the season and into the postseason. With key injuries and ineffective starters, they relied heavily on their bullpen. While their starters kept them in games, their relievers struggled in critical situations, leading to disappointing outcomes.
