Dodgers’ pitching plans for NLDS Game 4

SAN DIEGO — With the Dodgers in danger of being eliminated from the postseason in the National League Division Series for the third consecutive year, manager Dave Roberts is considering the pitching plan for Game 4 an “all hands on deck” effort.

After Los Angeles dropped Tuesday’s Game 3 at Petco Park, 6-5, San Diego holds a 2-1 edge in the series and needs just one more win to end the season of its top divisional rival. For the rest of the NLDS, the Dodgers are in win-or-go-home mode, starting with finding a way to get 27 outs in Game 4 on Wednesday night.

The main silver lining in another tough loss is that all of the Dodgers’ high-leverage relievers should be available with their backs against the wall.

“Not a great situation,” Roberts said. “But as far as kind of winning a ballgame tomorrow, I think we’re in a really good spot.”

Roberts did not name a starter for Game 4 following Tuesday’s loss, but he said the Dodgers would employ a bullpen game and will likely have a reliever open the contest.

Given how L.A. starters have struggled in the first three games of the series — Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler combined to allow 15 runs in 13 1/3 innings for a 10.13 ERA — taking a different approach against San Diego’s lineup could pay dividends.

The Dodgers’ bullpen has fared much better this series, not allowing a run in Games 1 and 3 (all six runs the relief unit has allowed came in the Padres’ 10-2 rout in Game 2).

“I do feel that us being able to stay away from our leverage arms tonight gives those guys three days off … to then go into Game 4, and [we] kind of can push them a little bit more,” Roberts said. “So I feel good in that respect. And I feel good with the length and the quality that we have for a potential Game 5.”

Should the Dodgers split their two games at Petco Park and force a Game 5 on Friday night at Dodger Stadium, they’ll have both Flaherty and Yamamoto available on the rest they are accustomed to, as well as an off-day to refresh the ‘pen.

But first, they’ll have to get through one more on the road.

“Everyone’s got to be available in whatever capacity,” Roberts said. “We’ve got to win tomorrow night to then pick up the pieces for Game 5.”