Walker Buehler & the Dodgers get one more shot to close the gap

The Dodgers have one more day left to force one more day left in their quest for a ninth straight National League West division title. They need a win over the Brewers at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, plus a Giants los to the Padres to force a tiebreaker in San Francisco on Monday.

Walker Buehler takes the mound with a chance to take care of the Dodgers’ side of things, while also potentially helping himself. Buehler gets one more start to add to his National League Cy Young candidacy, entering Sunday fourth in the NL in innings (202⅔), eighth in FIP (3.23), second in bWAR (6.5), fourth in fWAR (5.2), and third in ERA (2.49).

ERA is where Buehler can make a move on Sunday, after NL leader Corbin Burnes allowed three runs in two innings in a shortened tuneup for the NLDS on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. Here are the top three in ERA in the NL:

1. Burnes 2.43
2. Max Scherzer 2.46
3. Buehler 2.49

In order to lower his ERA to pass Burnes, Buehler either needs to allow no earned runs in 5⅓ innings or longer on Sunday, or if he pitches a complete game, allow only one earned run.

Such a start by Buehler would go a long way in securing the Dodgers’ side of the bargain, and also potentially allow an opportunity for Scherzer on Monday to both pitch for the division and potentially an ERA title of his own.

The Brewers are starting old friend Brett Anderson in their regular season finale, though it figures to be a bullpen game since Anderson threw 61 pitches in a five-inning start on Thursday.

All 15 MLB games on Sunday are scheduled to start roughly around noon. Dodgers-Brewers starts at 12:10 p.m., five minutes after Giants-Padres. With the NL West still undecided and four American League teams still vying for two wild card spots, things could get chaotic.

Enjoy.

Broadcast info

SportsNet LA will televise the series finale locally, but Dodgers-Brewers is also on TBS, at least for folks outside the Los Angeles and Milwaukee television markets. Brian Anderson and Ron Darling will be on the national call of the game, if you would like to get a glimpse of what the National League playoffs will look and sound like on TV.

Game info

Teams: Dodgers (105-56) vs. Brewers (95-66)

Location: Dodger Stadium

Time: 12:10 p.m.

TV: SportsNet LA, TBS (out of market)