Brewers Hand the Ball to Robert Gasser for Game 3 Against the Dodgers

The Milwaukee Brewers are officially handing the ball to Robert Gasser for a massive Game 3 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. USA Today's Bob Nightengale broke the news Monday that the left-hander is getting the nod.

Handing a pivotal playoff start to a guy with a jersey number in the mid-50s usually means a team is either brilliant or completely out of gas. For Milwaukee, it is a calculated roll of the dice in a series that has already turned into an absolute grind.

"Bob Nightengale reported the Brewers will start Robert Gasser in Game 3."

The Brewers are coming off a tight 2-1 victory over Los Angeles, proving they can win the kind of low-scoring rock fights that define October baseball. Now they need Gasser to keep that momentum going against one of the most expensive lineups in the sport.

Pitching against the Dodgers in the postseason is like trying to defuse a bomb while someone screams your search history in your ear. One mistake, and the whole thing blows up on national television.

This announcement immediately shifts how the market looks at the Game 3 totals and moneylines. Bettors who were waiting on Milwaukee's rotation plans now have to figure out how Gasser's stuff translates under the brightest lights possible.

First pitch is scheduled for tonight in Milwaukee. If Gasser shoves, he becomes an instant local legend, but if he gets shelled, the Brewers will be burning through their bullpen before the stadium runs out of beer.