Red Sox vs. Dodgers: TV Coverage, Start Time for 2018 World Series Game 4

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox played the equivalent of two full baseball games on Friday evening as L.A. beat the American League champions, 2-1 in 18 innings in Game 3 of the World Series. L.A. is now down two games to one.

Both teams have a quick turnaround following the seven-hour, 20-minute game as the two sides square off Saturday at 8:09 p.m. ET.

Fox will televise the game, with the MLB on Fox Pregame show starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. No postgame is scheduled on Fox or FS1, but MLB Tonight will have an hour-long postgame show on the MLB Network.

Here's a quick glance at a few players and things to watch for Game 4.

Who and What to Watch

Who Starts for Boston?

Nathan Eovaldi was going to get the ball for Game 4, but he just threw six-plus innings in relief (after pitching a frame in Games 1 and 2). He will be taking the night off.

The Red Sox can send out one of two left-handers in Drew Pomeranz or Eduardo Rodriguez. However, Pomeranz has a 6.09 ERA, and Rodriguez has a 5.40 ERA in September after missing a month-and-a-half with an ankle injury. He also allowed five earned runs each in two of his September starts.

Rodriguez is the stronger option of the two. Despite the rough end to his regular season, the 25-year-old had a 3.82 ERA and punched out 146 batters in 129.2 innings. He pitched on Friday, but Rodriguez was on the mound for a six-pitch strikeout only before exiting. Baseball analyst Peter Gammons noted that Rodriguez is still well-rested:

Manager Alex Cora's best bet is to send out Rodriguez and see how long he can go. ESPN Fantasy Baseball writer Tristan H. Cockcroft backed Rodriguez over Pomeranz and noted how many innings he thought E-Rod could provide:

Pomeranz hasn't started a game since July 31 and hasn't pitched since September 30. That's a lot of time off, but the Sox may need to turn to him at some point, especially if this game goes to extra innings again. If he somehow recaptures his solid 2017 form (3.32 ERA and 174 strikeouts in 173.2 innings), then that will be a massive bonus for the Sox.

Can Some Hitters Break From Their Slumps?

Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts went hitless in eight Game 3 at-bats and now has just one hit and one intentional walk in 16 plate appearances. Boston second baseman Ian Kinsler is 1-for-10 with three strikeouts, and third baseman Rafael Devers is 1-for-9.

Boston's biggest problem isn't the bats right now, though, as the team must figure out how to piece together a Game 4 win with their exhausted pitching staff.

The L.A. side has some cold hitters, and that may be the team's biggest concern.

Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson are both 1-for-10, Chris Taylor is hitless in nine at-bats and Matt Kemp and Enrique Hernandez each have just one hit. Only one Dodger with 10 or more World Series plate appearances is hitting above .231 (third baseman Justin Turner at .294).

The Dodger bats may break out Saturday as the Red Sox figure out a way to navigate Game 4 under difficult circumstances. L.A. is still one of the best hitting teams in baseball, as the Dodgers were third in the league in OPS behind only the Red Sox and New York Yankees.

L.A. was No. 1 in the National League in runs, homers, RBI and OPS, and that was with slugging shortstop Manny Machado a member of the Baltimore Orioles for the better part of four months.

Look for some Dodgers to break out Saturday.