The Los Angeles Dodgers laid an egg at home in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, getting shutout by the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-0, to fall down in the series at 2-1.
As has been the case for much of the series, Yasmani Grandal struggled both behind and at the plate. He had a passed ball and failed to block a wild pitch that led to a run scoring, and went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts.
One of which came when he represented the tying run at the plate with the bases loaded in the ninth inning.
After the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed that Grandal will head to the bench for Game 4 as Austin Barnes will catch Rich Hill.
“We’re going to play Austin tomorrow. Austin will catch,” Roberts said. “Grandal will be ready to go off the bench and he’s been good for us all year. So he’ll be ready off the bench tomorrow. He had a tough night.”
Struggling in the postseason is not something that is new to Grandal as he is now 7-for-68 (.103 batting average) in 25 playoff games for the Dodgers.
Barnes has not been much better at the plate in 2018, but he is an upgrade over Grandal defensively. Grandal has three passed ball in the first three games of the series, which ties a postseason record.
Roberts has not committed to who his starter at catcher will be beyond Game 4, but if Barnes has a good game then the job is likely his to lose at this point.
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