Dodgers News: Roberts Feels All-Star Hurler Will be a 'Big Piece' of LA's Success This October
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With the carousel surrounding the Dodgers pitching unit, Julio Urias and Clayton Kershaw seem to be surefire starters heading into the postseason. Along with Urias and Kershaw, Tyler Anderson will look to take the helm and solidify the top of the pitching unit for the Dodgers.
In his last outing, Anderson pitched five innings in a 4-1 loss to the Rockies on Sunday but clearly showed the type of skills warranted to be named a starter. Anderson walked zero batters and tallied 10 strikeouts, good enough to match a career high.
The loss marked his fifth loss of the season, but Anderson still sits tied for eighth in the league with 15 wins and 11th in ERA posting a 2.57. The consistency of Anderson's success warrants big confidence from Dave Roberts who believes Anderson will be a vital asset in the possession (quotes via Mike Digiovanna, The Los Angeles Times).
“I think one slant as far as pitching in the playoffs is people kind of look toward strikeouts and stuff, but I just don’t think that stuff is created equal. The radar gun is easy to quantify, but command, being able to sequence [pitches] is important....He’s got a [superb] changeup, and most importantly, he’s a guy that I trust. The postseason is about putting guys in a position to succeed, but also going with guys that you believe in and trust.”
As Anderson and the rest of the Dodgers continue to impress the league with their talents, Roberts has decisions to make with the postseason starting in less than a week. Anderson will be a name to follow as the Dodgers will heavily rely on one of their surefire starters.
