Brewers manager Craig Counsell took “the opener” to new heights in Game 5 of the NLCS on Wednesday evening. Expecting Wade Miley to pitch a sizable portion of the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stacked the lineup with right-handed hitters behind leadoff batter Cody Bellinger.
Wade Miley walked Bellinger to start the game. Counsell promptly walked to the mound and called for right-hander Brandon Woodruff, removing Miley from the game after just one batter and five pitches, as was the plan. Woodruff will face almost exclusively right-handers down the Dodgers’ lineup with the exceptions of Max Muncy and Clayton Kershaw.
Miley will now start Game 6. Or will he?