Over the course of his eight-year career, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty has struggled with a significant gulf between his regular-season and postseason performances. In the regular season,

Put a cork in it. The tarp taped above the lockers in the visitors’ clubhouse at Citi Field was never put to use. The champagne stayed on ice. Whatever visions the Dodgers might have had about closing out the New York Mets in five games and celebrating Friday night had to be stored away in the overhead space for the flight back to Los Angeles.

The Dodgers used their key bullpen arms for a grand total of one batter as Dave Roberts considered the bigger picture.