A lazy, pretty afternoon at Chavez Ravine was startled awake Sunday by three blue-curdling screams.
The Dodger bullpen had struck once more.
Eighth inning, one out, Dodgers main the Toronto Blue Jays by a run, rusty Blake Treinen on the mound.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., growth, nooooo!
Addison Barger, growth, nooooo!
Ninth inning, recreation tied, Alex Vesia on the mound performing like a better as a result of the Dodgers don’t have a wholesome nearer.
Ernie Clement, growth, not once more!
Battered by three house runs within the final two innings Sunday, the Dodgers misplaced a recreation they need to have gained, blew a recreation they need to have had, and planted an ominous message deep into the bowels of sweaty Dodger Stadium.
It is a group making an attempt to win a second consecutive championship with out an ample bullpen.
The 5-4 loss wasted a sterling begin by Tyler Glasnow, frittered away 10 hits and 13 walks from a burgeoning offense, ruined an opportunity to comb the group with the most effective report within the American League, and created a trivia query that will likely be bandied in regards to the league till the final week in October.
What standout reliever did the Dodgers purchase on the commerce deadline?
No one.
What standout reliever had their critics been begging them to amass for weeks?
Any of them.
Perhaps Andrew Friedman’s earlier deadline brilliance satisfied everybody into considering he may pull one thing off once more, and possibly the general public stress was lower than regular due to the credit earned by the 2024 title, however right here’s guessing a lot of Dodger nation wakened Monday morning after watching a reliever tagged with the loss in three of the final six video games and thought…
What simply occurred? Is it too late to repair?
Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen watches from the dugout after giving up two house runs within the eighth inning Sunday.
(Kevork Djansezian / Getty Photos)
What occurred was the Dodgers’ perception within the recovering well being of their bullpen. And, um, yeah, until you need to carry Bobby Miller up from Oklahoma Metropolis to shut video games (not a nasty concept, eh?), it’s not getting fastened anytime quickly.
Michael Kopech, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates ought to all be coming back from the injured record, and the thought is that the Dodgers can discover a nearer someplace in there, however you’ve seen all of them and do you agree?
There may be additionally the assumption on this bizarre little bit of Dodger nearer historical past — the ultimate inning of their final two championships was labored by a starter.
That is countered by the truth that the final two occasions Friedman didn’t make a big pitching improve on the deadline they had been eradicated within the first spherical.
So, sure, Friedman hasn’t misplaced any of his smarts and Dave Roberts hasn’t misplaced any of his savvy they usually can in all probability piece this mess collectively for brief durations in October.
However between from time to time, you want somebody to make the large pitch within the clutch scenario and save the offense from itself.
You want a better so that you don’t have the everlasting optimist Roberts trying oddly despondent late Sunday afternoon.
“That is irritating as a result of I simply felt there is no such thing as a manner we must always lose this recreation as we speak,” he stated.
He wasn’t so upset with Vesia and Treinen — each guys have been put in robust spots, particularly Treinen, who lately got here off the injured record.
He was largely upset with the Dodger offense that made the withering bullpen — which has recorded essentially the most innings in baseball — so needed.
The Dodgers had a 3-2 lead after six innings. The back-to-back dingers within the eighth price them that lead.
The Dodgers got here again to tie it on a bases-loaded stroll to Freddie Freeman within the eighth.
Clement’s lengthy ball grabbed the lead once more for the Blue Jays within the ninth.
“Yeah, it’s fairly irritating,” Vesia stated.
However equally irritating was the 16 males the Dodgers left on base, together with leaving the bases loaded 3 times, twice within the final two innings.
“We had them on the ropes quite a few occasions,” Roberts stated. “And for us to not win is so irritating.”
How dissatisfied was Roberts? When is the final time you’ve heard him criticize Shohei Ohtani’s play? Properly, he did it Sunday, twice in a span of a minute.
First, there was Ohtani ending the sixth inning by getting thrown out making an attempt to steal third base with Freeman on the plate.
“Not an excellent baseball play,” Roberts stated.
Then there was Ohtani placing out with a wild swing on a low and outdoors full-count pitch from Mason Fluharty — he of the 5.15 ERA — with bases loaded within the ninth.
“We’ve received to give you one proper there,” Roberts stated. “Chasing the ball down under … is one thing that we are able to’t have.”
You realize what may have prevented all this angst? A deeper bullpen. A extra rested bullpen. A hard and fast bullpen.
