The Dodgers Bullpen Once An Asset May End Up As An Achilles Heel

Last season, the Dodgers rode their bullpen to a World Series championship. Over 16 games, the bullpen threw approximately 82 innings, including a “bullpen game” in Game 4 of the NLDS, but not including other so-called “openers.” It was Dave Roberts’ masterful use of the guys who came in after the starters that held the team together, weathered tough outings from Jack Flaherty and no starts from either Clayton Kershaw or Shohei Ohtani, that got the job done. This year has been a very different story.

Over the off-season, in an effort to redouble their advantage and solidify what was arguably the strongest part of their team, the club re-signed closer Blake Treinen for two years and $22 million; added Tanner Scott, the hard-throwing lefty reliever, signing him to a four-year, $72 million contract; and then, just because they could, they signed Kirby Yates to a one-year, $13 million deal. The results have been disastrous.

Going into last night, the last five Dodgers’ losses all fell at the feet of Treinen – the first time that has happened in MLB history. To take some heat off Treinen, Scott decided to blow a save and give the Dodgers another loss last night. The last time a Dodgers starting pitcher lost a game was September 4^th.

For the season, here is what those three big relievers look like:

• Treinen: 1-7; 5.55 ERA; 1.85 WHIP; 1.8 K/BB ratio; 3 blown saves.
• Scott: 1-4; 4.91 ERA; 1.27 WHIP; 3.4 K/BB ratio; 10 blown saves.
• Yates: 4-3; 5.23 ERA; 1.33 WHIP; 3.1 K/BB ratio; 2 blown saves.

In September, it is even more bleak:

• Treinen: 7 IP; 8 hits; 9 ER; 6 strikeouts; 9 walks.
• Scott: 6.1 IP; 7 hits; 6 ER; 7 strikeouts; 5 walks.
• Yates: 7 IP; 7 hits; 6 ER; 7 strikeouts; 4 walks.

The Dodgers currently hold a 1.5 game lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West and have already punched their ticket to the post-season. But there is simply no way for this team to have designs on making a run, let alone repeating as champions, with these three as their bullpen core.

It should be noted that in last night’s game against the Diamondbacks, Clayton Kershaw warmed up in the bullpen. On the broadcast, Joe Davis even remarked that if the Dodgers were able to push the game to extra innings (they did not), we may, in fact, see the 18-year veteran. The rotation for the post-season is currently projected to be Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow. Kershaw and Emmet Sheehan will most likely move to the bullpen, and there is a high likelihood that Roki Sasaki will come off the injured list and find himself pitching in the late innings rather than as a starter.

Since the start of the month, Los Angeles’ starting pitchers are 7-2 with a 2.39 ERA, and averaging just a hair under 5.5 innings per start. They have been doing their job, and the starters – this is shocking to write – will be a strong point for the team as they enter the playoffs. However, if the aforementioned troika of relievers cannot right their respective ships and become reliable, it is reasonable to believe that the Dodgers will need no more than three of those starters, as the season can and will be over after the Wild Card round.

If the season ended today, Los Angeles would host the New York Mets (who they beat to win the NLCS last season). If the bullpen – and the rest of the club – fritters away the division over the next five days, they will most likely head to Chicago to play the Cubs at the “Friendly Confines” (where the Cubs beat the Dodgers in six games in the 2016 NLCS; and where the Dodgers beat the Cubs in five games in the 2017 NLCS).

There is still a lot of baseball yet to be played. But if past is prologue, the Dodgers’ bullpen, once a saving grace, may become its season-ending Achilles heel.