The Los Angeles Dodgers have called up Walker Buehler to start in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. The team has scratched Max Scherzer for the game to make way for Buehler.

The Dodgers are in a must-win situation with the Braves leading the best-of-seven series 3-2. The right-handed Buehler was coming back on just three days’ rest.

Buehler had a rough game against the Braves in Game 3 of the series on Tuesday, in which he gave up four runs (two earned) and six hits in just 3 2/3 innings. The Dodgers won that game 6-5.

Buehler also pitched on short rest in Game 4 of the NL Division Series, going 4 1/3 innings against the San Francisco Giants. He gave up one run and three hits.

In three starts during this postseason, Buehler was 0-1 with a 3.77 ERA in 14 1/3 innings. In the regular season, he was one of the NL’s top pitchers with a 16-4 record and a 2.47 ERA.

Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner acquired by the Dodgers from Washington just before the trade deadline, complained of a dead arm after starting Game 2 of the NLCS on just two days’ rest after a 13-pitch save in the clincher of the Division Series.

The Dodgers did not immediately say why he was scrubbed from his scheduled start, but his right arm had clearly not recovered from his 4 1/3-inning stint last Sunday.

The 37-year-old threw 79 pitches, gave up four hits and two runs, and struck out seven. He did not get a decision in Atlanta’s 5-4 win.

With Scherzer out, the Dodgers had few other options other than going back to Buehler, who was initially set to pitch Game 7 if the series made it that far.

(With AP inputs)