LOS ANGELES — Most every postseason, a team’s success or failure hinges on the production of its starting pitching. And while this postseason is no different, the World Series matchup between the Dodgers and Yankees presents a stark contrast between two teams with very different rotation strategies and circumstances.
One of the postseason’s nuances when it comes to starting pitching is what a team needs vs. what a team has. In the three-game wild-card round or the five-game Division Series, teams don’t need a full four-man rotation and can get by with three starters. Sometimes, as we saw this postseason with the Tigers, even two can be enough.
But as teams advance into the seven-game Championship Series and World Series, having a third and fourth starter who can take the ball becomes a huge advantage — especially the longer a series goes. Starting pitchers on short rest seems great when it works, but when it doesn’t, it leaves you wondering what could have …