Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — Now that the All-Star Game is in the rearview mirror, Dodger fans are certain to be focusing on the task that lies before the team. The goals are simple, but not easy: 1) Win the NL West 2) Secure a bye in the playoffs 3) Get home field advantage during the entire post-season. However, none of this will happen with out a great bullpen. Let’s take stock of where the team is at, and see if there are any solutions to the problems that exist among the team’s relievers.
The Good…
- Evan Phillips: 36 IP, 1.50 ERA
- Yency Almonte: 25.2 IP, 1.40 ERA
- Daniel Hudson: 24.0 IP, 2.22 ERA
- Caleb Ferguson: 9.0 IP, 0.00 ERA
Evan Phillips has been a revelation on the mound this year, his stuff bordering on the unhittable. He’s only given up six earned runs all year, and his 0.78 WHIP is the kind of thing that would bring a smile to any manager’s face. And with the injury to Daniel Hudson, who was also having a great year until that dang little grounder in Atlanta, Phillips has been the go-to guy for high leverage situations. I could see him moving into a closer’s role at some point if Kimbrel can’t get his act together.
The same could be said for Yency Almonte, who has been dynamite whenever he’s gotten the ball. Not sure why he isn’t getting the call more often. His stuff is electric this year, after being just a so-so starter in Colorado. Ferguson has been good, if a little wild, but he still hasn’t pitched enough for me to fully trust him yet.
The Meh…
- Brusdar Graterol: 40 IP, 3.35 ERA
- Alex Vesia: 28.2 IP, 3.14 ERA
- David Price: 22.1 IP, 3.63 ERA
- Justin Bruihl: 17.2 IP, 3.57 ERA
- Reyes Moronta: 15.2 IP, 4.02
Let’s be honest. Most teams would kill to have guys with these numbers coming out of their pen. But with the Dodgers the bar is very high, and some of the names on this list are just barely clearing it. Brusdar Graterol seems to alternate between being great and getting rocked. Alex Vesia has been okay, but was so much better in the second half of last season, when he posted a 0.99 ERA after the All-Star Break. David Price is basically over at this point. Can’t see the Dodgers using him in anything but mop up duty from here on out. Bruihl and Moronta have been good at times, but still haven’t earned a manager’s trust yet.
The Disappointments…
- Craig Kimbrel: 31 IP, 4.35 ERA
- Phil Bickford: 30.1 IP, 5.04 ERA
Of course, the elephant in the bullpen is Craig Kimbrel and his Hall of Fame resume. It ain’t great when your supposed closer has the second highest ERA on the team. He’s converted 15 of 18 save opportunities, but almost none of them have been fun. And, unlike Kenley Jansen, he has no good will built up with the fan base. Not sure how much longer Doc can get away with “Kimbrel is our closer” as the stock answer to questions about shaky performances.
But the bullpen questions don’t just stop at Kimbrel. Phil Bickford, who was great in 2021 (2.50 ERA in 56 appearances) is looking pretty bad on the mound, and has pitched himself out of the top tier of Dodger relievers. He and Vesia have both regressed this season, and we’d love to see these two guys bounce back in the second half. If we can get a bit of what they were showing in 2021, the Dodgers will be a much better team.
Coming soon?
- Blake Treinen: (Injured List)
- Tommy Kahnle: (Injured List)
- Dustin May: (Injured List)
- Danny Duffy: (Injured List)
- Victor Gonzalez: (Injured List)
Of course, the biggest wild card in the deck is trying to figure out which pitchers will actually be able to come back off of the injured list and contribute this season. It seems like the most likely candidate to return soon is Dustin May, who is already throwing to hitters in live games in Arizona. He has been a starter before, but I don’t see him ramping up in time to take that role this season. However, that nasty stuff that he has could play very well out of the pen late in games.
Danny Duffy might be back as soon as August, but who knows what to expect out of him, after more than a season on the shelf?
Victor Gonzalez is a another player said to be close to ready, but his 2021 was nothing to write home about, so I’m not putting much hope in that particular basket.
Tommy Kahnle was a great comeback story for about twelve seconds, and then his arm exploded in May. Who knows what the future holds for him.
But of course, the big dog on this list is Mr. Blake Treinen. After being so vital to the plans of the Dodgers in ’20 and ’21, he’s only pitched three innings in 2022. What started out as a minor ailment turned into something that Treinen couldn’t shake as the weeks of the season rolled on. However, a return might be around the corner. In early July, Treinen started throwing off the mound for the first time. Most recently he had a bullpen session right before the All-Star break. According to David Vassegh of AM 570, Blake threw 36 pitches on July 13 in what was described as a “touch and feel” bullpen session. Not clear if he was working on his entire repertoire at this point or just the heater. Still, it’s encouraging news.
Final thoughts…
Given what the pen has had to deal with in terms of injuries this year, it really is a wonder that they’ve held up as well as they have. Currently, they are 6th in baseball in bullpen ERA, with a 3.26 ERA (the Astros are 1st with a 2.66). That’s actually pretty good all things considered.
Best case scenario? Treinen comes back, Kimbrel gets his act together, Vesia and Bickford regain their 2021 form and the Dodgers coast to the World Series.
Worst case scenario? Looks like I chose the wrong season to give up sniffing glue.
DODGERSBEAT GRADE, BULLPEN: B-
