With a win on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers will not only sweep the Chicago Cubs, but advance to their first World Series in 29 years.
Making his first start since Sept. 26 is Alex Wood, who’s confident heading into outing despite a long layoff in between appearances.
“I feel good,” Wood declared. “I feel pretty consistent in my last two starts, the sim games I’ve thrown. I think my command and the consistency of my stuff has been pretty good. So I feel good.”
An All-Star in 2017, Wood enjoyed a breakout campaign during the regular season. The left-hander posted a 2.72 ERA, 3.32 FIP and 1.06 WHIP in 152.1 innings with 151 strikeouts to 38 walks.
In two starts against the Cubs during the regular season, Wood allowed one run over 8.2 innings (two starts) with 12 strikeouts compared to seven walks. During the 2016 NLCS, Wood tossed two scoreless innings against the Cubs out of the bullpen with a strikeout.
On the mound for Chicago is Jake Arrieta, who’s making his second postseason start of the year and what may be his last in a Cubs uniform. In four innings against the Washington Nationals during the NL Division Series, he didn’t allow a run but struggled with command — yielding five walks.
Over the regular season, Arrieta pitched to a 3.53 ERA, 4.16 FIP and 1.22 WHIP in 168.1 innings with 163 strikeouts to 55 walks. He gave up four runs in six innings against the Dodgers in a May outing, striking out nine batters but ultimately losing the game.
Arrieta faced Los Angeles once in last year’s NLCS, where he allowed four runs in five innings — also being tabbed with a loss. The right-hander has won both potential elimination games he’s started up to this point: the 2015 NL Wild Card Game and Game 6 of the 2016 World Series.
Arrieta faces a Dodgers lineup that is similar to what manager Dave Roberts sent out in Game 3, with an added wrinkle. Andre Ethier makes a second consecutive start in left field, while Curtis Granderson is in center field.
Chris Taylor remains at shortstop and Chase Utley at second base, and as Roberts suggested would be the case, Yasmani Grandal is behind the plate. The start is Grandal’s first of the NLCS.
The Dodgers set a franchise record Tuesday night by winning a sixth consecutive game in a single postseason. A victory Wednesday would tie them with 2007 Colorado Rockies and 1976 Cincinnati Reds for the second-best start to a postseason. The 2014 Kansas City Royals went 8-0 before their first loss.
What’s more, the Dodgers can notch back-to-back sweeps in the postseason for the first time in franchise history. It would also give them their first sweep in a seven-game series since defeating the New York Yankees in the 1963 World Series.
Dodgers lineup:
SS: Chris Taylor
1B: Cody Bellinger
3B: Justin Turner
RF: Yasiel Puig
LF: Andre Ethier
CF: Curtis Granderson
C: Yasmani Grandal
2B: Chase Utley
P: Alex Wood
Cubs lineup:
CF: Albert Almora Jr.
LF: Kyle Schwarber
3B: Kris Bryant
1B: Anthony Rizzo
C: Willson Contreras
SS: Addison Russell
2B: Javier Baez
RF: Jon Jay
P: Jake Arrieta
