L.A. Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals: Keys for Each Team to Win NLDS Game 3

With the series tied at 1-1, the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals head back to the Midwest for a critical Game 3. The winner of the game will be in the driver’s seat: They will need to win only one more game to win the series, and they might force their opponent into starting their ace on short rest.

The first two games have demonstrated some of each team's strengths and weaknesses. We’ve seen both offenses explode, we’ve seen the Dodger bullpen implode and we’ve seen the excellent starting pitching showcased in Game 2.

Game 3 will be a big test for both teams. Obviously, neither starter is as good as what was on display in Games 1 and 2, and so the offenses and bullpens will be more important.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Hyun-Jin Ryu’s Health

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This is the single biggest determining factor for this game. When healthy, Ryu is one of the best pitchers in baseball; since arriving in America prior to the 2013 season, he ranks ninth in FIP, ahead of noteworthy pitchers Madison Bumgarner, Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg.

However, he missed the end of the season with a shoulder injury, and his health is questionable. He will be making the start, but Carlos Frias is on the roster to provide long-relief insurance in case the lefty has problems. If he is at his best, the Dodgers will be favored. If he is not, anything can happen.

St. Louis Cardinals: John Lackey’s Experience

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Lackey has made 19 appearances in the postseason, and his ERA in those games is 3.03. He has two World Series rings (2002 with Anaheim and last year with Boston).

If postseason experience means anything, then this would be the opportunity for Lackey to demonstrate it. At the very least, the fact that he’s been there before means that he won’t be too nervous or shell-shocked.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Bullpen

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The first two games of this series have illustrated the flaws in the Los Angeles bullpen. Game 1 saw Pedro Baez allow a three run home run to Matt Holliday that broke the game open, and JP Howell nearly coughed up Game 2 when he allowed a game-tying home run to Matt Carpenter.

The Dodgers will continue to rely on those two; they simply don’t have many other options outside of Kenley Jansen. However, it has proven to be a weak spot.

St. Louis Cardinals: Bench Offense

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One reserve player for St. Louis had an OPS+ even above 90: Pete Kozma, and that was in just 26 plate appearances. Daniel Descalso and Oscar Taveras are the team's go-to bench bats, and both are left-handed—a disadvantage against the Dodger lefty Hyun-jin Ryu. The main right-handed bat that will be available is Peter Bourjos, and he has actually been better in his career against right-handed starters than lefties.

If Lackey gets knocked out early or the game is close enough to warrant a pinch hitter in the 5th or 6th inning, this will come into play. There simply will not be enough quality pinch hitters available to St. Louis as the game winds down.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Top of the Lineup

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In Game 1, Dee Gordon and Yasiel Puig went 2-for-9. In Game 2, they went 1-for-8. The two need to get on base more frequently for the big bats behind them, as Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford have been scorching hot for the past month.

The offense starts with the speed guys at the top, and both have had excellent seasons, but the Dodgers will need the two to step up if they want to maximize their offensive potential.

St. Louis Cardinals: Middle of the Lineup

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When the Cardinals won Game 1, their 2-3-4 hitters went 4-for-12 with two home runs. When they struggled in Game 2, their 2 through 6 hitters had one hit combined. Matt Carpenter has been incredible in both games, but St. Louis will need their best hitters to step up.

They are perfectly capable of doing so. Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina, and Jhonny Peralta have established track records, and each are righties who will be facing the lefty Ryu. Additionally, right-handed Randal Grichuk—who hit a home run off Clayton Kershaw in Game 1—will likely move up in the lineup to provide extra support.