Los Angeles Dodgers: Key decision points in Game Seven

Counsell pinch hit for starter Jhoulys Chacin with two out and two runners on base in the bottom of the second inning. The pinch hitter, Jonathan Schoop, grounded out on a pitch inside off the plate – more on that later.

There are arguments on both sides of the question of whether to pull Chacin at that point. In support of Counsell’s move: the Brewers trailed by a run in a situation where a hit would tie the game or possibly give them the lead; Milwaukee’s bullpen was both deep and fresh, and Counsell obviously had more faith in his pen than in his rotation guy, having let none of them pitch past the sixth inning all series.

But there were also arguments against lifting Chacin. He was, after all, Milwaukee’s ace, coming off a 15-8 season and having beaten the Dodgers in Game 3. To lift him at that early moment sent a message that Counsell did not believe his team likely to have many offensive opportunities against Dodger starter Walker Buehler. (He turned out to be right about that, for reasons which will be discussed.)

The bottom line, though, is that Schoop made the third out, killing the Brewers’ run-scoring chance. We’ll never know what would have happened had Chacin – coming off an inning in which he allowed three solid hits including a two-run Corey Bellinger home run – had stayed in the game. We do know what happened after Counsell lifted him, and the result was not positive for Milwaukee.