What happened: Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a heavy simulated outing Wednesday, which pushed his next turn behind Blake Snell in Los Angeles' opening postseason order. The current setup has Snell in the second game and Yamamoto tracking toward the third.

Why it matters: That gives Los Angeles a defined plan through its first three turns after the Dodgers' Game 1 pitching decision. In a short series, early rotation order can dictate bullpen coverage and rest management from the outset.

What to watch: Watch for Los Angeles to make Yamamoto's third-game slot official once the club finalizes the rest of its order. Any change there would reshape the opening rotation map.