Zack Greinke’s Game 5 start against Mets could be his last for Dodgers

When the Dodgers take their home field Thursday in Game 5 of their National League division series, they will be playing their first winner-take-all postseason game in 27 years.

The stakes are high. If they defeat the New York Mets, they will advance to the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs. If they lose, their season will be over.

For starting pitcher Zack Greinke, the game is significant for another reason: It could be his last with the Dodgers.

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Greinke, who will be opposed by Game 1 winner Jacob deGrom, has the option of voiding the last three years of his contract and becoming a free agent when the season ends. He would forfeit a guaranteed $71 million, but is expected to find a more lucrative deal on the open market.

“If this is Zack’s last season with us, I’ve had a great time playing with him,” left-hander Clayton Kershaw said. “Definitely some of the most fun I’ve ever had watching someone pitch every five days. I hope it’s not the last one.”

Greinke has declined to speak about his impending decision. While he didn’t reveal any of his plans during a Wednesday conference call, he did reflect on his three seasons in Los Angeles.

“I really can’t think of anything not positive to say about the whole experience,” Greinke said.

When he spoke last year about his contract situation, Greinke said what he would do would be based in part on the contracts Max Scherzer and Jon Lester landed.

Scherzer signed for $210 million over seven years with the Washington Nationals, Lester for $155 million over six with the Cubs.

With Andrew Friedman as their president of baseball operations, the Dodgers have emphasized the importance of building for the future and maintaining roster flexibility.

Greinke turns 32 next week, which could make the Dodgers hesitant to offer that kind of deal. But if they don’t, someone else probably will; Greinke could enter the market as the NL Cy Young Award winner.

He was 19-3 with a 1.66 earned-run average in the regular season. If the Dodgers’ postseason run continues, he could also be an October hero. He won Game 2 of the NLDS by limiting the Mets to two runs in seven innings.

On Thursday, he will be following Kershaw, who won Game 3 on three days’ rest.

“We have the same confidence in Greinke that we have in Kershaw,” first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said.

Greinke is expected to pitch in Game 5 without his regular catcher, Yasmani Grandal. The switch-hitting Grandal experienced renewed discomfort in his left shoulder in Game 3.

With Kershaw pitching and the Mets starting a left-hander in Steven Matz in Game 4, A.J. Ellis started at catcher.

Manager Don Mattingly handicapped Grandal’s chances of playing Thursday at “50-50.”

“I don’t think catching’s going to be any kind of issue,” Mattingly said. “It’s just a matter of, is he going to be able to swing the bat pain free?”

When Greinke threw on flat ground Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, he threw to Ellis, who is on a franchise postseason record 12-game hitting streak.

Greinke said he felt comfortable throwing to either catcher.

“They both have different strengths,” Greinke said. “A.J.’s probably the best pitch-caller and working with a pitcher on what’s working and stuff similar to that. Yas works really well with me and his physical skills and baseball skills are as good as anyone in the game, with framing and blocking and throwing.”

Perhaps the more significant obstacle will be deGrom, who outpitched Kershaw in Game 1.

With a fastball that was frequently clocked at 97 mph or faster, deGrom blanked the Dodgers over the first seven innings of a 3-1 Mets victory.

Kershaw said of the showdown between Greinke and deGrom: “It’s probably dead even, to be honest. As good as Zack is, and has been the whole year, deGrom has been the same.”

Greinke likened deGrom to Noah Syndergaard, the power pitcher he beat in Game 2.

“They both have amazing fastballs,” Greinke said. “I just think deGrom might have a little more control.”

DeGrom had 13 strikeouts in Game 1.

“Hopefully, he makes some mistakes, to be honest with you,” second baseman Howie Kendrick said with a laugh.

With the Mets expected to field a lineup that includes four left-handed-hitters, Greinke could use his own fastball less than usual.

“I feel like, in general, lefties hit fastballs from right-handed pitchers better than right-handers hit fastballs from right-handed pitchers,” Greinke said. “So if you look at how I pitched them last time, I threw more fastballs to their righties and less fastballs to their lefties.”

The last time the Dodgers played a winner-take-all game was in the 1988 NL Championship Series.

Their opponents that day: The Mets. The Dodgers won, 6-0, and went on to win the World Series.

The winning pitcher in that game, Orel Hershiser, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Thursday.

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Twitter: @dylanohernandez

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