LOS ANGELES – Jack Flaherty experienced a noticeable drop in fastball velocity in his last start, averaging 90 mph in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, raising concerns about the condition of his arm as the season unfolds extended until the end of October. Flaherty, who will start Game 1 of the World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night, said the drop stemmed from a timing issue with his delivery that he has been working to correct all week.

Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said the issue is not related to the injury, although he admitted to being “moderately concerned.”

“Obviously everyone knows, the more speed the better, usually unless you go way under speed,” Prior said. “Concern, yeah, because he obviously pitched on regular rest and it was a little bit down. Can he pitch with it? Yeah. He’s a guy who’s more concerned with execution than anything. And I think they did a really good job with the match planning.” through the second time, sitting on some slower spin stuff, but I think with extra rest and what we saw in the bullpens, I’m pretty confident he can get back to where he was the other time.

Flaherty pitched seven scoreless innings against the New York Mets in Game 1 and then allowed eight runs in three innings against them at Citi Field in Game 5. In the last start, Flaherty’s four-seam fastball dropped by almost two ticks, from a season average of 150.3 km/h. His average fastball has now dipped below 90 mph in three of his past five starts. The operation of its delivery usually influences this.

“And sometimes it’s intentional,” Prior said. “He’s a bit old-fashioned, sometimes he’ll give his heater a little gas so he can jump on it a little later. We’ve seen that from the beginning. I know his speed is a bit higher throughout the year, but we We’ve seen him pitch very effectively at 91, and next thing you know he’s 94, 95. He has the ability to go and make it when he needs to, it’s a little more challenging to go and make it.”

At this time of year, the number of days off between starts can also have an impact. Flaherty was on six days of rest when he dominated at the start of the NLCS, but was on the traditional four days of rest when he struggled in Game 5. When he faces the New York Yankees in Game 1, he will again be extended rest. But he’ll get another four days of rest as he makes his second start, from Yankee Stadium in a potential Game 5.

Asked if that’s a problem, Roberts said: “I don’t think we have any other alternative, No. 1. And No. 2, we’re going to dig deeper into that as far as this kind of thing seems. it’s been on a regular (rest) basis, but that’s kind of the way we’ve set up the rotation, and that’s exactly the way it’s going to be.