After 18-inning World Series thriller, Dodgers and Blue Jays scrambling to reset pitching for Game 4

The Los Angeles Dodgers outlasted the Toronto Blue Jays overnight in a marathon World Series Game 3 that burned on into Tuesday morning until Freddie Freeman delivered a walk-off home run to begin the bottom of the 18th inning. The Dodgers, as a result, now have a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.

There's never an optimal time for teams to play what tied for the longest World Series game in history. But there's something particularly cruel about it happening in Game 3, given that, you know, the clubs will now play Games 4 and 5 without having an off day to reset. Nowhere will the schedule be felt more than with the bullpens, as the two sides combined to use 17 different relievers in Game 3. 

Just where does that leave each staff heading into Game 4? Let's take a look.

Toronto Blue Jays

During the regular season, the Blue Jays and Dodgers both ranked in the top 10 in appearances made on zero days' rest. Clubs tend to be more aggressive with these assignments during the postseason, and especially during the World Series. Still, it's safe to assume Lauer is on ice for Games 4 and 5.

Otherwise? The Blue Jays did well to spread out the workload. Manager John Schneider can surely bank on getting work from Bassitt and Fluharty as needed. Varland, meanwhile, has made several appearances this month, a night after throwing 20-plus pitches. 

Hoffman, Toronto's closer, would appear to be the biggest question mark. Yet Hoffman led the staff in appearances on zero days' rest during the regular season, and threw in Game 7 of the ALCS, the night after delivering 35 pitches as part of a multi-inning appearance in Game 6. If precedent is any indication, you can expect him to be in play on Tuesday night should the situation demand it.

Of course, the Blue Jays could also task one of their starting pitchers with making a relief appearance. Teams are generally open-minded about using whichever starter is on the "throw day" of their between-starts routine. That tends to come two or three days after their most recent outing. For the sake of Game 4, that would mean Kevin Gausman, who started Saturday's Game 2 and would be in line to start a potential Game 6 come Friday night.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Clearly, Klein will not be available for Games 4 or 5. Beyond him, the Dodgers appear to be in a trickier spot than the Blue Jays. That's because both Sheehan and Sasaki, starters by trade, were extended in Game 3 in ways that might dissuade manager Dave Roberts from deploying either in Game 4. 

The Dodgers have been particularly careful with Sasaki, having him work on zero days' rest just once in his eight playoff appearances to date. Six of those other seven outings came on at least two days' rest. Likewise, Sheehan has received at least two days' rest in between all five of his postseason pitching appearances.

If those two are indeed ruled out for Game 4, Roberts may have no choice other than to use Blake Treinen in a late-and-close situation. To paraphrase longtime skipper Joe Girardi: that's not what you want.

One "hidden" factor here to keep in mind? The above table accounts only for pitches thrown in a game. Clayton Kershaw, to name one, was up and down throughout Game 3. Teams tend to log how many times a reliever warms up, that way they're not overworking them. Kershaw, then, isn't as fresh as he appears, though that may not prevent him from finding his way into Game 4 given the stakes and his impending retirement. 

As for the Dodgers' throw-day starter, that would be Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He was reportedly willing to enter Game 3, with Roberts admitting that Yamamoto would've taken over had the game stretched into the 19th. If Yamamoto was up for pitching on a day's rest, it's probably safe to assume he'll be game to do the same on Tuesday night.