Dodgers head to Texas for National League Division Series

The Dodgers finished off the Brewers in the wild card series on Thursday night and now they move on to the National League Division Series.

Starting Tuesday.

At Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

An American League park.

“If you would have told me that the first time I’ve ever got to pitch in Texas is in the Division Series against somebody that’s not the Rangers, I mean, that’s just like the craziest thing ever,” said Clayton Kershaw, who set a playoff career high with 13 strikeouts on Thursday.

Kershaw, grew up in a Dallas suburb and played high school baseball 23 miles from Globe Life Field, has pitched in 30 major league ballparks, 31 if you count the Sydney Cricket Grounds. But he’s never pitched on the road against the Rangers, neither at Globe Life Park nor the new Globe Life Field. It’s one of only three current major league stadia where Kershaw hasn’t pitched, along with Target Field in Minnesota and Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

“I’ve been to Texas a few times but I’ve never actually pitched there,” Kershaw said. “It’s going to be weird. I live literally 10 minutes from the team hotel, so I’m going to be staring at family and friends through a glass wall.”

The Dodgers will fly to Texas Friday afternoon, without knowing what team they will play in the division series. The Cardinals and Padres play Game 3 to decide their wild card series at 4 p.m. at Petco Park.

“Whenever Game 1 is, I don’t even know when it is and who our opponent is,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’ve just got to keep playing good baseball.”

Game 1 will be Tuesday in Arlington, one of four postseason games that day. Start time to be determined.

Even though the Dodgers won’t play a game in Los Angeles again this season, there will still be at least three and as many as five postseason games at Dodger Stadium. 2020 is weird.

The Athletics will play the Astros in the American League Division Series beginning on Monday. Oakland is the No. 2 seed and will be the home team for the first two games, and Game 5 if necessary.

The other ALDS is also set, with the Yankees and Rays resuming their blood feud at Petco Park in San Diego. The Braves will play the winner of Marlins-Cubs in the other NLDS, at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

Remaining wild card series schedule

Friday
11:08 a.m. PT: Marlins at Cubs, Game 2 (ABC)
4:08 p.m.: Cardinals at Padres, Game 3 (ESPN, ESPN+)

Saturday
12:38 p.m.: Marlins at Cubs, Game 3 if necessary (ESPN2)