What time is the Dodger game today: new start time
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- First pitch for NLCS Game 4 is 8 PM ET on Thursday, October 15. The Dodgers host the Brewers that night. That is 5 PM PT.
- Rain in Cleveland moved the ALCS game to 1 PM ET. That shift freed the evening TV slot.
- The Brewers lead the series 2-0. Game 4 could end the Dodgers' season if they lose Game 3.
The Los Angeles Dodgers play the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, October 15. First pitch for NLCS Game 4 is 8 PM ET. That is 5 PM PT in Los Angeles.
The game starts one hour earlier than planned. Rain in Cleveland forced the change.
What happened
Major League Baseball announced the change on Wednesday, October 14. The league moved NLCS Game 4 up by one hour. The game was set for 9 PM ET.
It will now start at 8 PM ET. In Los Angeles, that means 5 PM PT.
The change started with the other series. The ALCS Game 3 is in Cleveland. The Tampa Bay Rays face the Cleveland Guardians there.
Rain is forecast for Thursday night in Cleveland. According to MLB, the move came from Thursday night's poor forecast. So MLB moved that game to 1 PM ET.
It was set for 6 PM ET.
The two moves fit together. The league spaces playoff games for TV. The ALCS now ends before the NLCS starts.
Fans can watch both games with no overlap. USA TODAY reported the league moved the NLCS game to space out start times.
Here is the change in plain form.
ALCS Game 3 moved from 6 PM ET to 1 PM ET.
NLCS Game 4 moved from 9 PM ET to 8 PM ET.
The game is at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Fox Sports 1 will show it. Fox Sports said pregame coverage starts at 7 PM ET.
The ALCS airs on TBS, according to USA TODAY.
The Brewers lead the series two games to none. Milwaukee won the first two games at home. Game 1 ended 2-1.
Game 2 ended 7-4. Both wins came in Milwaukee, according to Fox Sports.
In Game 2, the Brewers knocked out Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto early. He left in the third inning, per Fox Sports.
Game 3 comes on Wednesday night at 8 PM ET. Blake Snell starts for Los Angeles. Robert Gasser starts for Milwaukee.
Wednesday is a travel day for the ALCS, according to USA TODAY. The NLCS plays Game 3 that night.
Why it matters
The new time changes fan plans. Fans who set plans for 9 PM ET must tune in one hour early. Fans at the park must arrive earlier too.
The one-hour shift is small. But it can still catch people off guard.
The stakes are high for Los Angeles. The Dodgers trail two games to none. A loss in Game 3 makes Game 4 a must-win game.
SI reported Game 4 could be an elimination game if the Dodgers lose Game 3. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said his team must play better.
"We've just got to win a game," Roberts said, according to SI.
New fans may ask what NLCS means. NLCS stands for National League Championship Series. ALCS stands for American League Championship Series.
The winners of the two series meet in the World Series. Each series is a best-of-seven set of games. The first team to win four games takes the series.
The rain plan also guards the ALCS. A 1 PM ET start in Cleveland dodges the night rain. A late start could have faced delays.
The earlier start moves the game ahead of the forecast night rain.
TV viewers gain too. The two games will not overlap. Fans can watch the ALCS in the day.
Then they can watch the NLCS at night. That is the league's plan, per USA TODAY's report on TV spacing.
What happens next
Game 3 comes first on Wednesday night. A Dodgers win keeps the series alive at 2-1. Then Game 4 on Thursday can tie the series.
A Dodgers loss puts them on the edge. Then Game 4 becomes a game they must win.
Game 4 pitching is set for Los Angeles. Tyler Glasnow starts for the Dodgers, according to Fox Sports. Milwaukee had not named a starter, per SI.
That could change before Thursday. Teams often wait to name a starter. They watch how Game 3 plays out first.
Friday holds two more games if needed. ALCS Game 4 is set for 6 PM ET. NLCS Game 5, if needed, is set for 9 PM ET.
USA TODAY reported both times. Fans should check local listings before first pitch.
See our reports on LASK vs Liverpool and Bodo/Glimt vs Dortmund.
Also see QPR vs Derby County for more sports action this week.
Also see Vinicius Junior banned four matches for more sports news this week.
Thursday brings an earlier first pitch and high stakes. The Dodgers play at home with the series on the line. The Brewers can move one step closer to the World Series.
Fans should set alerts for the new start time. First pitch comes at 8 PM ET.
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