Dustin May gets the start for the Dodgers in NLDS Game 3 against the San Diego Padres

ARLINGTON, Texas —  Dustin May will start Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers announced Thursday morning.

The Dodgers will give May the ball with a chance to complete a sweep and advance to the National League Championship Series.

May has enjoyed reasonable success against the Padres in 2020. The rookie right-hander held San Diego to seven runs (five earned) in 17 1/3 innings across three outings during the regular season and went viral when he fooled Manny Machado with his signature 99-mph two-seam fastball. In Game 1 on Tuesday, he logged two clean innings out of the bullpen. Thursday will be his fifth appearance against San Diego in two months.

“I like to go out and establish early,” May said. “That’s kind of my go-to when I throw. I just go out there and pretty much… ‘Here it is. Hit it if you can.’”

May, 23, threw 27 pitches in Tuesday’s outing. He could, as a result, have a shorter leash than in a typical starter. The Dodgers could turn to Julio Urías and Tony Gonsolin to pitch multiple innings of relief. Neither pitcher has appeared in this series. Gonsolin hasn’t yet pitched in the postseason. Urías threw three scoreless innings in Game 1 of the wild card series last week.

Like Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers’ Game 2 starter, May grew up in the area. He attended Northwest High School in suburban Fort Worth, 30 miles from Globe Life Field.