The next three weeks for the Dodgers are about securing postseason positioning but also figuring out which relief pitchers have the steadiest branches in manager Dave Roberts’ trust tree.
Tanner Scott in the first year of his massive four-year contract has been a disappointment, tied for the league lead with nine blown saves. That doesn’t even count the walk-off home run he allowed in a tie game on Friday night in Baltimore, after which the dejected left-hander said, “It feels terrible. I have to
figure it out because baseball hates me right now.”
Scott’s 10 home runs allowed in 49 1/3 innings this season are nearly double his total homers allowed (six) in 150 innings over the previous two seasons.
Kirby Yates signed roughly the same time as Scott, and their signings felt like excess at the time — Ryan Brasier was traded away because there was little room for him in the bullpen — but Yates has struggled as well with the home run ball — seven allowed in 36 1/3 innings — and since the first of his two injured-list stints has a 5.09 ERA with a 24.3-percent strikeout rate well below his 38.8-percent strikeout rate from his first 22 appearances, as well as the 33.6-percent strikeout rate he had over the last few seasons.
Blake Treinen missed over three months on the injured list but his blow-up on Saturday — “I needed one flippin’ out , and I didn’t do it,” he told reporters in Baltimore — was more of an aberration. Prior to Saturday, Treinen had nine consecutive scoreless outings, during which he struck out 13 of 28 batters faced.
Alex Vesia likely returns from the injured list on Monday, with the third-highest average-leverage index in the bullpen behind Scott and Treinen. Vesia adds a measure of stability with his 2.75 ERA and 33-percent strikeout rate.
Vesia has saved four games, and is one of 10 different Dodgers pitchers to record a save this season. But excluding three-plus inning saves and pitchers who are hurt or no longer here, there are six Dodgers in the current bullpen who have recorded saves. That includes Jack Dreyer, who as a rookie has been one of the steadiest arms in the bullpen with a 2.74 ERA, 2.43 xERA, and only three home runs allowed. He got the save on Sunday in Baltimore, his third of the season.
Ben Casparius got a traditional save on July 25 in Boston, and got another one by getting the final out nine days later in Tampa. He has served a variety of roles this season, including lots of bulk relief and a few starts. Casparius also had a rough stretch around midseason but starting with that save in Boston has a 2.63 ERA in 16 games, with 11 strikeouts and five walks in 13 2/3 innings.
Michael Kopech hasn’t saved a game yet this year thanks mostly in part to two stints on the 60-day injured list. He was a fixture in late and important innings last year and into October. He is who he is, in that the stuff is incredible but where the ball might be going is anyone’s guess.
Anthony Banda is kind of the forgotten man in the bullpen, steady Eddie as the team leader wth 64 games pitched and a 3.39 ERA. He doesn’t have a save this year but saved two games last year.
Edgardo Henriquez hasn’t earned a save this season, but got one last year, and looks the part of someone who could one day rack of a lot of saves. He throws in triple digits and though that hasn’t yet translated to missed bats — just a 15.8-percent strikeout rate — the 23-year-old right-hander has allowed a run in only one of his 15 appearances. He has allowed six of nine inherited runners to score, however.
Justin Wrobleski is a starter filling in as needed in long relief.
One of these pitchers has to go when Vesia is activated, but here are the 10 pitchers that constitute the current bullpen plus Vesia.
| Pitcher | Throws | IP | ERA | xERA | PA/HR | BB rate | K rate | Saves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanner Scott | Left | 49 1/3 | 4.56 | 4.18 | 20.1 | 5.97% | 25.87% | 20 |
| Blake Treinen | Right | 19 | 4.26 | 4.15 | 30.3 | 11.00% | 30.00% | 2 |
| Alex Vesia | Left | 52 1/3 | 2.75 | 3.04 | 26.1 | 8.61% | 33.01% | 4 |
| Mchael Kopech | Right | 8 1/3 | 1.08 | 2.73 | 0.0 | 14.29% | 28.57% | 0 |
| Jack Dreyer | Left | 69 | 2.74 | 2.43 | 92.3 | 7.94% | 23.47% | 3 |
| Edgardo Henriquez | Right | 13 2/3 | 1.98 | 3.56 | 0.0 | 7.02% | 15.79% | 0 |
| Ben Casparius | Right | 77 2/3 | 4.64 | 3.56 | 41.6 | 6.31% | 21.32% | 2 |
| Kirby Yates | Right | 36 1/3 | 4.71 | 4.18 | 22.0 | 9.09% | 31.82% | 3 |
| Anthony Banda | Left | 58 1/3 | 3.39 | 3.72 | 34.7 | 12.35% | 21.40% | 0 |
| Justin Wrobleski | Left | 59 | 3.97 | 3.29 | 49.4 | 6.88% | 25.91% | 1 |
Today’s question is a simple one: Which pitcher(s) do you want to see closing games for the Dodgers in the postseason?
