Dodgers tab Kershaw over Greinke for Game 1

We knew the first two pitchers in the Dodgers‘ playoff rotation would be Cy Young contenders Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. As it turns out, though Greinke probably has a leg up in the Cy Young vote, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has elected to go with Kershaw as the Game 1 starter in the NLDS round against the Mets.

Clayton Kershaw will get the ball for the Dodgers in Game 1. (USATSI)

Not surprisingly, the club announced the Greinke would be going in Game 2. As for Game 3, it’ll be left hander Brett Anderson.

Kershaw, 27, would be the obvious ace on most teams. He’s won three of the past four Cy Youngs along with the 2014 NL MVP. This year, he was 16-7 with a 2.13 ERA and 301 strikeouts — the most in MLB since 2002.

Having Greinke (19-3, 1.66) around forced Mattingly into actually making a decision, though.

Anderson, 27, was 10-9 with a 3.69 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 116 strikeouts in 180 1/3 innings. He led the majors with a 66.3 percent groundball rate this season.

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