The Dodgers went 5-1 against the Reds this season. This includes sweeping them at Dodger Stadium in late August and dropping their only game at Great American Ball Park. Now, the two teams are set to meet again in the opening round of the postseason. But the Dodgers fans’ anticipation is not about who will play against, but what their starting rotation looks like.

With names like Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Clayton Kershaw, and Roki Sasaki in the mix, the decision was always going to be tough. But the wait is over. The Dodgers have announced their starters for the first three games of the series to set the tone against Cincinnati. But the twist is the absence of a veteran!

“The Dodgers are close to making it official: Game 1: Blake Snell, Game 2: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Game 3 (if necessary): Shohei Ohtani.” MLB insider Bob Nightengale shared the final starting rotation for the Dodgers, and Clayton Kershaw is the glaring miss from the list.

Clayton Kershaw closed out the Dodgers’ regular season in style, striking out seven in a 6-1 win over the Mariners on Sunday. His signature curveball had Seattle hitters looking silly. He even induced plenty of soft contact and kept the Mariners scoreless over 5 1/3 innings.

But despite that strong outing, Kershaw won’t be on the mound for the first few postseason starts.

Reportedly, instead of taking the ball in Game 1 against the Reds, Dodgers manager Roberts hinted that lefty Blake Snell will likely get the nod. But there might not be a reason to feel heartbroken…

Kershaw isn’t out of the picture. Rather, he’s expected to be part of the rotation if L.A. makes it to the NLDS!

Now, if you line up Yamamoto, Ohtani, and Snell, they combine for a stellar 2.52 ERA with similar supporting stats. And that means when it comes to starting pitching, the Dodgers have a clear advantage over the Reds, who bring a combined 3.07 ERA into the postseason.

The Dodgers’ concerns lie elsewhere

While the starting rotation is poised to be one of the key strength areas for the Dodgers in the postseason, their bullpen is what is making things challenging.

According to Fangraphs, L.A.’s relievers have racked up 96 meltdowns this season. That’s the most in franchise history, turning winnable games into heartbreaking losses far too often.

Tanner Scott struggled with a 4.64 ERA in what’s turned into a nightmare season. Then, Blake Treinen hasn’t fared much better, posting an 11.57 ERA in September. Thus, prompted fans to question whether he should even make the postseason roster. Lastly, Kirby Yates, who signed for $13 million, is on the outside looking in. And Michael Kopech is sidelined with a knee injury that could keep him out of the playoffs.

That means the Dodgers will have to lean heavily on their starting pitching depth. Let’s think Roki Sasaki to cover for the bullpen’s struggles. Or do you have anyone else in mind?