Smoltz Questions Dodgers' Pitching Decisions in NLCS Collapse
Former Cy Young winner John Smoltz believes questionable pitch selections by the Dodgers contributed to their sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS.
Former Cy Young Award winner John Smoltz has voiced criticism regarding the Los Angeles Dodgers' pitch selections during their National League Championship Series (NLCS) defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers. Smoltz, who called the series alongside play-by-play announcer Joe Davis, observed that the Dodgers' highly touted rotation, featuring pitchers like Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow, faltered in critical moments.
According to Smoltz, who discussed the series on the Flippin’ Bats podcast, the issue wasn't necessarily a lack of pitching talent but rather strategic missteps in pitch selection. "They pitched well, but they didn’t pitch good enough in situations where veteran pitchers should not be making those mistakes," Smoltz stated. He suggested that these decisions, whether originating from catcher Will Smith or the pitchers themselves, allowed the Brewers to gain an advantage.
"In my opinion, there were some pitch selections — I don’t know if it came from Will Smith or it was the pitcher himself — and they put the Milwaukee Brewers in a position to flex their muscles when the Dodgers should have been flexing theirs," Smoltz explained.
Smoltz expressed surprise at the outcome, particularly the manner in which the Dodgers were swept. He noted that the Brewers' path to victory, which involved out-homering opponents and performing well with runners in scoring position, was not as shocking as the Dodgers' perceived tactical errors. Smoltz characterized the scenario as "the most shocking" he had witnessed from a strategic standpoint, especially given the Dodgers' regular-season performance and the Brewers' bullpen dominance.
The Dodgers' rotation, considered one of the strongest in baseball, struggled to go deep into games during the series. None of the starting pitchers managed to complete the fifth inning against the Brewers' offense, raising questions about game management and in-game adjustments. The Dodgers' failure to advance marks a significant disappointment after a season where they were considered strong contenders.