Dodgers manager Don Mattingly: Hyun-Jin Ryu will start Game 3, Ricky Nolasco Game 4 of NLCS.

Hyun-Jin Ryu

Dodgers rookie Hyun-Jin Ryu will start Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday. (Sarah Reingewirtz/Staff photographer)

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly announced that Hyun-Jin Ryu will start Game 3 and Ricky Nolasco Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals in Los Angeles.

That puts perhaps the greatest pressure on Ryu, who must oppose Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright when the Dodgers return home Monday. Wainwright has pitched in 15 postseason games in his career, starting six and recording four saves. In starts, he is 3-0 with a 2.54 ERA. He pitched a complete game and allowed one run Wednesday in the Cardinals’ series-clinching win against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ryu allowed four runs in three innings in his playoff debut Sunday against the Atlanta Braves. He admitted to some nerves early in the game, and Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Wednesday that he expects Ryu to bounce back.

Of course, there will be even more pressure on Nolasco if the Dodgers haven’t won a game by next Tuesday. Nolasco was skipped over in favor of Game 2 starter Clayton Kershaw on Monday, with the Dodgers leading the Atlanta Braves two games to one in the National League Division Series. Kershaw responded well on three days’ rest, pitching six strong innings.

Nolasco hasn’t started since Sept. 25, meaning he will have 20 days between starts if he takes the ball in Game 4. He pitched one scoreless inning of relief on Sept. 29. Could Greinke take the ball on three days’ rest in Game 4 if needed?

“I mean, I could probably respond to it, but I might give information out that we might want to keep a secret, so I just won’t respond to that question for that reason,” Greinke said Thursday.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny hasn’t announced his Game 4 starter yet.

This entry was posted in JP on the Dodgers, Playoffs and tagged , , , , , by J.P. Hoornstra. Bookmark the permalink.

About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.