Photo via Yahoo Sports

Former Cy Young winner questions Dodgers pitch selections in NLCS

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher and Cy Young winner John Smoltz offered sharp criticism of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitching strategy during their National League Championship Series sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers. Analyzing the series alongside play-by-play announcer Joe Davis, Smoltz highlighted the Dodgers’ rotation—featuring Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow—as underperforming in critical moments, with none lasting past the fifth inning.

Smoltz pointed to questionable pitch selections, suggesting they stemmed either from catcher Will Smith’s calls or the pitchers themselves, which allowed the Brewers to capitalize on opportunities. The collapse was particularly striking given the Dodgers’ back-to-back World Series titles, as Milwaukee overcame deficits in every game except the final matchup, where they led by four runs at one point.

Smoltz emphasized the Brewers’ dominance in clutch hitting and bullpen performance, calling the Dodgers’ defeat a shocking reversal of expectations.

Up nextMLB· 28m ago

What will Yohandy Morales’ role be for the Washington Nationals in 2027?