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Los Angeles Dodgers: World Series Game 2 pitching preview

By Jason Reed

MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 19: Hyun-Jin Ryu #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning in Game Six of the National League Championship Series at Miller Park on October 19, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 19: Hyun-Jin Ryu #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning in Game Six of the National League Championship Series at Miller Park on October 19, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers /

David Price:

  • Regular season stats: 30 starts, 176.0 IP, 3.58 ERA, 1.142 WHIP, 177 Ks
  • Postseason stats: 3 starts, 12.1 IP, 5.11 ERA, 1.405 WHIP, 13 Ks

You think Clayton Kershaw has a postseason monkey on his back, David Price is one of the most notorious bad postseason pitchers that we have ever seen. In 20 career postseason appearances, Price has a 5.04 ERA.

However, Price is coming off the best postseason start of his career, one that many think will completely rid him of his past struggles. Price threw six scoreless innings against the Houston Astros in the closing game of the ALCS, allowing just three hits and striking out nine.

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That was Price’s first ever recorded win in the postseason with the Boston Red Sox. Not only that, his start before (in which the Red Sox rallied late to win) was the game that Price started that the Red Sox actually won in the postseason.

Price definitely still has that monkey on his back but is coming off a strong outing, so the Dodgers cannot take him lightly.

However, the Dodgers have the offense to get to Price early. In his postseason struggles, Price often fails to get batters to chase and puts them on base. The Dodgers, as evident from their performance against Chris Sale in Game 1, are not going to chase pitches and will make Price work for every out.

Not only is that a positive sign but Price is also very susceptible to home runs, something that the Los Angeles Dodgers thrive at. Price allowed 1.28 home runs for every nine innings pitched this season.

That was the 17th-highest mark in baseball, according to FanGraphs. Most of the other pitchers did not have the innings that Price had, either. Of pitchers with at least 175 innings pitched, Price ranked eighth.

Next. Positives and negatives from World Series Game 1. dark

The recipe for success to get Price out of the game and for Ryu to succeed is there. The Dodgers need to work some walks and come up with a big home run, as they did against the Braves, in the early innings. This will give Ryu the confidence he needs to thrive and will suck the energy out of Fenway Park.

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