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SF Giants set lineup for NLDS Game 1 against Dodgers righty Walker Buehler

SAN FRANCISCO — Giants manager Gabe Kapler has turned in his lineup card for Game 1 of a highly anticipated NLDS series against the Dodgers.

With Los Angeles right-hander Walker Buehler on the mound for the Dodgers, the Giants will counter with a lineup loaded with the team’s best left-handed hitters.

Giants lineup

1. Tommy La Stella 2B
2. Wilmer Flores 1B
3. Brandon Crawford SS
4. Buster Posey C
5. LaMonte Wade Jr. RF
6. Kris Bryant LF
7. Mike Yastrzemski CF
8. Evan Longoria 3B
9. Logan Webb SP

Kapler said Thursday it’s possible Buster Posey will start every postseason game the Giants play given that teams never play more than three consecutive days during the playoffs. The same is true for shortstop Brandon Crawford, who was the lone Giants player to start all six games during the team’s final homestand of the regular season.

Aside from Posey and Crawford, the Giants will tailor their lineup to create a matchup edge against opposing starters and will continue to seek platoon advantages whenever possible. One of the mild surprises from the Giants’ Game 1 lineup is the absence of Steven Duggar who homered and tripled against Buehler during the regular season.

One of the toughest calls the Giants made in determining their lineup for Friday’s showdown was deciding which right-handed sluggers to leave on the bench.

Darin Ruf has been one of the team’s most consistent hitters all year, but Ruf is better against lefties and could see an opportunity late in the game if the Dodgers turn to southpaw Alex Vesia out of the bullpen. Ruf, infielder Donovan Solano and outfielder Austin Slater are all expected to be in the Giants’ starting lineup on Saturday when the team faces Dodgers lefty and MLB’s only 20-game winner this season, Julio Urías.

Before setting their Game 1 lineup, the Giants already made a challenging decision as the team left starter Johnny Cueto off the NLDS roster. Cueto, a 14th-year veteran, returned from an elbow injury and made his first career appearance out of the bullpen during the final week of the season, but the team opted to include young right-handers Zack Littell and Kervin Castro on their roster ahead of Cueto.

The Game 1 start is the first playoff appearance for Logan Webb, a 24-year-old right-hander from Rocklin, Calif. who made his major league debut with the Giants in August, 2019.

#SFGiants vs. Dodgers, NLDS Game 1

Yaz
Bryant Wade

Crawford La Stella
Longoria Flores

Webb

Posey

— Kerry Crowley (@KO_Crowley) October 8, 2021