LOS ANGELES, CA—Despite the Los Angeles Dodgers’ sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card Series, rather than celebration taking place among fans, it was the bullpen that was at the forefront of conversations.
Entering October, the Dodgers’ bullpen was seen as the weak link, especially in the final month of the season, with multiple key arms, including lefty Tanner Scott and veteran right-handers Kirby Yates and Blake Treinen, all struggling.
In Game One, starter Blake Snell performed well and exited after seven innings. When Alex Vesia, possibly the Dodgers’ most reliable reliever this season, entered, Los Angeles led 10-2. However, Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez, and Jack Dreyer struggled with control, giving up two hits, four walks, and three runs before finally finishing the inning.
The three of them combined to throw 59 pitches, the highest number in a single MLB postseason inning since pitch counts began to be recorded.
In Game Two, Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched effectively and left after 6 2/3 innings with the Dodgers leading 7-2. This time, Emmet Sheehan and Vesia combined to allow two hits, three walks, and two runs in the eighth.
How severe was the situation? Sheehan was leading 0-2 against Reds pinch-hitter Will Benson until he lost control and almost hit the batter. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts decided that was enough and pulled Sheehan mid-at-bat for Vesia, who then recorded the strikeout with just one pitch.
Alex Vesia was able to limit the damage to just two runs in the eighth inning, but in back-to-back days, the bullpen overtook the narrative.
Expectations for the Dodgers’ bullpen were low going into this postseason, and they lived up to them. They got by mainly because they faced a Reds offense with the second-lowest wOBA among all playoff teams. Now, however, they face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.
If the bullpen performs similarly, the Dodgers’ starting pitchers will need to leave games with much larger leads than five or six runs. So, who will take on that role in the meantime? Roki Sasaki.
Sasaki, a 23-year-old Japanese right-hander, debuted in the postseason out of the Dodgers’ bullpen, aiming to close the Reds in the ninth inning, and he not only achieved that but exceeded expectations.
Sasaki dominated with a 1-2-3 inning, recording two punchouts. He showcased his elite velocity, exceeding 100 MPH, and his lethal splitter, pitches that made him a standout during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Although the Dodgers manager did not explicitly appoint Sasaki as the new closer, he reiterated his confidence in the young right-hander’s future role.
“I trust him, and he’s going to be pitching in leverage,” Dave Roberts said. “So the more you pitch guys and play guys, you learn more … I don’t think the moment’s going to be too big for Roki.”
Roberts revealed only a few of his strategies during the brief two-game Wild Card, utilizing just a small number of pitchers, such as Vesia and Treinen, on consecutive nights.
However, for the Dodgers to have a real chance of defeating the Phillies, their bullpen must improve, and Sasaki being an X-factor will only benefit them in October.
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