Image credit: IMAGE IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Rome Brewers (1) at Los Angeles Dodgers (2), 8:00 PM ET
MIL: LHP Robert Gasser (5-5, 3.87 ERA, 118 DRA-);
LAD: LHP Blake Snell (4-1, 1.90 ERA, 82 DRA-);
This must be a mismatch. Gasser is third on the Brewers with 20 starts, but as his DRA- and 4.26 FIP illustrate, he was good, not great, in his first year back from UCL injury. His career total in just 27 starts is set in the Brewers’ Division Series-clinching win over the Padres last Wednesday, when he dropped a first-inning homer to Fernando Tatis Jr. but otherwise allowing just two hits and a walk over four efficient (56 pitches, 40 of them strikes) innings, striking out three and posting a 34% CSW%. But one of the many nondescript brewers.
There is an issue with Pindar who shows the version. In a crucible against the Braves in last Sunday’s Division Series, he didn’t make it out of the fourth inning, with 90 pitches over 19 pitches, five of which he walked. He made eight regular-season starts after returning from the injured list in August, despite a 1.13 ERA, 1.77 FIP, and 82 DRA—walking “only” nine percent of the batters he faced. And Brewers fans will no doubt recall his performance in the opener of last year’s Championship Series, in which he allowed one hit and no walks over eight innings, striking out 10, a 90 game score that set him second in his career to his only 2024 no-hitter over the Reds with the Giants.
Gasser’s only appearance in last year’s Championship Series was in relief in which he struck out Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy, struck out Mookie Betts, allowed a double to Freddie Freeman, and walked Will Smith. He hopes it will be better this time.
Gasser’s best pitch is his analecta, his primary putaway pitch. He also throws three pitches, a four-seamer, a sinker, a double, and adds a changeup to the right. He’s thrown a basket in the fourth quarter of the season, but he’s hit 38% of his strikeouts (and 40% of his homers; it’s not perfect). A potential problem is that (minimum sample size) Dodgers hitters are absolutely hitting pitches thrown by lefties; .511 slugging percentage against fourth in the majors. In Gasser’s two starts against the Dodgers this year, he has allowed 7 runs in 10/1 innings, allowing three hits and a .938 slugging percentage with two losses.
As for Pindar, you know the skill: Fastball, curve, changeup, slider, all well above average with it. If it is, the brewers are in for a long night. If it isn’t, we all are.