With Their Season On The Line in a Do or Die Game 5, The Dodgers Will Be Starting a Reliever Instead of 20 Game Winner Julio Urías

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We've got a win or go home Game 5 tonight in San Francisco and my god am I excited. That crowd is going to be electric as two teams that won at least 106 games and battled every night to win the division square off one final time to see who moves on. You thought waking up today we would be getting Game 1's start Logan Webb against 20 game winner Julio Urias. Not so fast…

The Dodgers are trying to play 4d chess tonight and are going with an opener in Knebel. With Urias on normal rest and coming off a strong performance in Game 2 you have to wonder why would they do this? 

This kind of move, while not identical, brings me back to the Yankees strategy in Game 2 of the ALDS last year against the Rays. They opted to start rookie Deivi Garcia who many thought was going to be given some length as the starter for which he was used all year. Instead Garcia was pulled after just 3 outs for J.A. Happ who proceeded to get rocked. It was an abomination of a move that derailed the series for New York. The Yankees tried to be the Rays and it backfired in horrific fashion. 

The difference here with the Dodgers is that you're using an actual high leverage reliever for the beginning of the game and not a starter. Knebel has opened a game four times this season allowing just one run in 5.2 total innings doing so. The Dodgers are 3-1 in those games. You're also using Julio Urias who has plenty of experience coming out of the bullpen in his career. He nailed down a multi-inning save to secure the Dodgers their World Series title just last year. 

Experience wise this should be fine, but strategy wise I'm still not sold. It's so hard to look at a 20-3 pitcher with a sub 3 ERA on normal rest and not start him in a do or die game. Dude has shoved for them all year and you're gonna try and get cute? I guess LA is trying to get out in front early and if the pitcher's spot happens to come up before the 3rd inning you can pinch hit someone like Pujols let's say and try to attack rather than having the pitcher hit? You're also giving the Giants a righty look to begin before shifting to the lefty in Urias thus fucking with their platoons. If I'm Kapler I stick to my guns and save the bigger bats off the bench for higher leverage spots late in the game. 

This isn't a Dave Roberts move, it's a front office decision. It's a gamble for sure and I'm fascinated to see it all play out. Get me to 9:00 for first pitch.