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., increase, nooooo!
Addison Barger, increase, 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, increase, not once more!
Battered by three house runs within the final two innings Sunday, the Dodgers misplaced a recreation they need to have received, blew a recreation they need to have had, and planted an ominous message deep into the bowels of sweaty Dodger Stadium.
It is a workforce 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 brush the workforce with the very best file within the American League, and created a trivia query that might 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 person.
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 normal due to the credit earned by the 2024 title, however right here’s guessing a lot of Dodger nation awakened 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 Photographs)
What occurred was the Dodgers’ perception within the recovering well being of their bullpen. And, um, yeah, until you need to deliver Bobby Miller up from Oklahoma Metropolis to shut video games (not a nasty thought, eh?), it’s not getting fastened anytime quickly.
Michael Kopech, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates ought to all be getting back from the injured checklist, 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 idea 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 instances Friedman didn’t make a major 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 and so they can in all probability piece this mess collectively for brief intervals in October.
However between every now and then, you want somebody to make the massive 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 wanting oddly despondent late Sunday afternoon.
“This is frustrating because I just felt there is no way we should lose this game today,” he mentioned.
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 checklist.
He was principally upset with the Dodger offense that made the withering bullpen — which has recorded probably the most innings in baseball — so crucial.
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 pretty frustrating,” Vesia mentioned.
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 numerous times,” Roberts mentioned. “And for us not to win is so frustrating.”
How dissatisfied was Roberts? When is the final time you’ve heard him criticize Shohei Ohtani’s play? Nicely, he did it Sunday, twice in a span of a minute.
First, there was Ohtani ending the sixth inning by getting thrown out trying to steal third base with Freeman on the plate.
“Not a good baseball play,” Roberts mentioned.
Then there was Ohtani putting 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 got to come up with one right there,” Roberts mentioned. “Chasing the ball down below … is something that we can’t have.”
You already know what may have prevented all this angst? A deeper bullpen. A extra rested bullpen. A hard and fast bullpen.
