**Dodgers on Brink of NLDS Exit Amid Struggles with Starting Pitching**

The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves teetering on the edge of an early postseason exit, primarily due to their underwhelming starting pitching. This weakness, flagged during the winter and confirmed throughout the regular season, has turned into a major liability in the playoffs. Their starters have combined for an alarming earned-run average of 10.13 in the National League Division Series (NLDS), putting them behind 2-1 in the best-of-five series against the San Diego Padres.

Manager Dave Roberts candidly acknowledged the grim reality facing his team. "I see one of our relievers starting," Roberts stated, pointing out the lack of healthy and reliable traditional starters. This strategy underscores the dire situation, requiring a succession of relievers to string together nine innings in the hope of forcing a Game 5. If successful, either Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Jack Flaherty would take the mound, both of whom have struggled in this series.

In a crucial Game 3, starting pitcher Walker Buehler aimed to compensate for his team's pitching woes but faltered in a decisive second inning, giving up six runs. Despite an admirable effort to recover and complete five innings, Buehler's struggles, compounded by fielding errors from Freddie Freeman and Miguel Rojas, proved too much to overcome. His pivotal mistakes, including a two-run homer by Fernando Tatis Jr., sealed the Dodgers' fate in a 6-5 loss.

Reflecting on his performance, Buehler admitted to falling short. "You can't give up six runs in the playoffs and expect to win," he said. Returning from a second Tommy John surgery, Buehler has faced significant challenges in regaining his former dominance. Despite attempts to adapt his pitching style, the game demonstrated his ongoing battle to reinvent himself on the mound.

The Dodgers had banked on various pitchers stepping up throughout the season, including Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Bobby Miller. Unfortunately, these hopes have largely gone unfulfilled, placing the team in a precarious position. As the Dodgers face possible elimination, the glaring issue of unreliable starting pitching remains the central theme of their postseason plight.