After taking a 3–0 lead in the NLCS on the back of a stellar pitching performance from left-handed rookie Robert Gasser, the Brewers intend to turn the ball over to another young southpaw for the potential series-clinching Game 4.
According to a team source, Milwaukee will trot out Shane Drohan as the starter on Thursday evening, with former Dodger Dustin May expected to follow him up on the mound in relief. Drohan, 27, has not pitched since Sept. 27, but he’ll get the ball in Game 4 with a potential trip to the World Series on the line.
Drohan, 27, made 33 appearances during the regular season, including 19 starts. He recorded a 4.19 ERA and struck out 125 batters while walking 44 across 124 2/3 innings. The Brewers have had success against the Dodgers with left-handed power pitchers, which is exactly what they’ll get out of Drohan.
The rookie boasts an impressive fastball and sinker combination with both offerings averaging 95 mph. He threw those two pitches 49% of the time during the regular season, and mixes things up with both a slider and curveball. As Los Angeles’s offense continues to flounder, the Brewers intend to continue hammering home the recipe that’s served them well thus far into the series.
Drohan served as a starter for much of the summer, but hasn’t pitched more than five innings in an outing since Aug. 13. He’ll now be tasked with opening in what will be the biggest game of his pitching career, and his postseason debut. He’ll be hoping to further silence a Dodgers lineup that has generated just seven runs and 15 hits while striking out 25 times through the first three games of the series.
