In 1966, the Dodgers roared into the World Sequence, in the hunt for their third championship in 4 years. They didn’t rating a lot that season, however they didn’t need to. They boasted a pitching workers that featured three Corridor of Famers: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Don Sutton.
The Dodgers scored as soon as within the second inning of Sport 1, as soon as within the third inning of Sport 1, and by no means once more in that World Sequence. The Baltimore Orioles swept the collection by shutting out the Dodgers over the ultimate 33 innings.
Within the 120 years of postseason historical past, no staff has ever thrown so many consecutive shutout innings.
Till Sunday, that’s.
This yr’s Dodgers, a staff with a pitching workers cobbled collectively extra by improvisation than grasp plan, tied the Orioles’ document Sunday, finishing a 3rd consecutive shutout — the final two division collection video games in opposition to the San Diego Padres, and the NL championship collection opener in opposition to the New York Mets.
The 1966 Orioles used 4 pitchers, together with Corridor of Famer Jim Palmer, to cowl their 33 innings.
The 2024 Dodgers used 13, together with rookie Ben Casparius, an harm substitute on the postseason roster. Casparius, the ultimate Dodgers pitcher Sunday, mentioned he had no thought he was about to pitch his staff into the document books.
“That’s cool,” Casparius mentioned. “So we’re tied now?”
They’re, otherwise befitting a unique period.
Within the 1988 postseason, Orel Hershiser pitched 20 consecutive scoreless innings all by himself, together with back-to-back shutouts. Within the 1965 World Sequence, Koufax pitched back-to-back shutouts inside three days.
Hershiser, now a Dodgers broadcaster, mentioned the record-tying feat shouldn’t be diminished as a result of nobody throws full video games in October any extra.
“It’s quite an accomplishment with so many different guys,” Hershiser mentioned in a textual content message. “Hard enough to find a couple of bullpen pieces that are hot, so to have this many guys shut down the opponent is amazing.
“And this is postseason, against great hitters.”
Evan Phillips, one of many 10 relievers to contribute to the streak, mentioned he grew up a fan of the Orioles.
“I missed the Jim Palmer days,” he mentioned. “Honestly, I was more of a Cal Ripken Jr. fan than anything.
“But it’s definitely special to see starting pitchers go deep into the game.”
Jack Flaherty pitched seven innings Sunday, and hats off to him. However let’s take one other take a look at these 1966 Dodgers through the common season: 13 pitchers, 5 starters, 52 full video games.
Within the closing season of his profession, Koufax pitched 323 innings. Drysdale, Sutton and Claude Osteen every pitched at the least 225 innings.
“The game has certainly changed,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “From our perspective, I think it’s just a collective effort.”
The 2024 Dodgers: 40 pitchers, 17 starters, one full recreation. Of the 40 pitchers, 20 hung out on the injured record, together with one really named Damage.
Nobody pitched greater than 140 innings. The one ones with greater than 100 innings: Gavin Stone and Tyler Glasnow, at the moment on the injured record together with Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin Might.
The insistence on maximizing velocity and limiting pitches and innings has robbed followers of what was one of many nice joys of October baseball: the marquee starter who would will his staff to victory and pitch till that victory was safe: the likes of Koufax and Hershiser right here, and the likes of Bob Gibson and Madison Bumgarner elsewhere.
Of the 33 innings pitched by the Dodgers throughout their record-tying streak, relievers threw 18 of them.
Phillips appreciates the aesthetics of the ace, however he additionally appreciates the evolution of the sport that enables him to play a key position within the postseason.
“As a bullpen guy, I certainly don’t mind,” Phillips mentioned.
There was no parade for the 1966 Dodgers, and their Corridor of Fame arms. For the 2024 Dodgers, and their assortment of arms, a parade is seven victories away.
