Thursday NLDS Game 5 open thread

Did you miss playoff baseball yesterday? The Dodgers and Giants are back to provide you a late night fix. The two California teams will face off in the fifth and final game of the NLDS. The winner of tonight’s contest could easily be considered the favorite to win the whole thing.

The Red Sox will take on Houston in Game 1 of the ALCS on Friday. Until then, all eyes are on Oracle Park in San Francisco. The game will be televised on TBS and starts at 9:07.

After initially penciling in Julio Urías to start Game 5, the Dodgers have now elected to send out Corey Knebel. The Dodgers have not announced an injury for Urías, which likely indicates it was a strategic move. Starting Knebel, a right-handed pitcher, should prevent San Francisco from stacking its lineup against a lefty.

Knebel has not pitched more than two innings in a game this season. It’s still fair to expect Urías at some point this evening, but it’s not a guarantee when he will enter the contest.

The Giants are still planning to send out Logan Webb. The righty pitched to an 11-3 record and a 3.03 ERA in 26 starts this season. Webb held the Dodgers to just five hits over 7.2 shutout innings in a Game 1 victory.

It’s important to remember that nothing is off the table in a winner-take-all game. It’s impossible to predict every pitcher that could be in the cards tonight for both teams.

Dodgers Lineup:

1. Mookie Betts RF
2. Corey Seager SS
3. Trea Turner 2B
4. Will Smith C
5. Justin Turner 3B
6. Gavin Lux CF
7. Cody Bellinger 1B
8. Chris Taylor LF
9. Corey Knebel P

Giants Lineup:

1. Tommy La Stella 2B
2. Darin Ruf LF
3. Buster Posey C
4. Brandon Crawford SS
5. Kris Bryant CF
6. Mike Yastrzemski RF
7. Wilmer Flores 1B
8. Evan Longoria 3B
9. Logan Webb P