Hi and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell<\/b>, reminding you to return your tray table to its full upright and locked position before the regular season comes to a landing.<\/p>\n
So, what do we talk about as we prepare for another postseason? The same thing we\u2019ve been talking about pretty much all season. The bullpen. It hasn\u2019t been all that great this year. There have been flashes of solid work, but for the most part, you hold your breath any time a reliever comes into the game.<\/p>\n
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And that\u2019s the way it\u2019s going to be all postseason. It doesn\u2019t matter if the relievers don\u2019t give up a run in the final six games of the season. It will still be nervous time once Game 1 against whomever begins.<\/p>\n
One thing readers ask me often is, is this the worst Dodgers bullpen ever? Well, no, but let\u2019s take a look:<\/p>\n
Worst bullpen ERAs since the Dodgers moved to L.A.:<\/p>\n
1. 1958, 4.74 (team record: 71-83)<\/p>\n
2. 2001, 4.70 (86-76)<\/p>\n
3. 1994, 4.69 (58-56)<\/p>\n
4. 2005, 4.42 (71-91)<\/p>\n
5. 1999, 4.37 (77-85)<\/p>\n
6. 2025, 4.28 (88-68)<\/b><\/p>\n
7. 1995, 4.22 (78-66)<\/p>\n
8. 1979, 4.17 (79-83)<\/p>\n
9. 1961, 4.15 (89-65)<\/p>\n
10. 2006, 4.12 (88-74)<\/p>\n
11. 2010, 4.07 (80-82)<\/p>\n
Those are the only L.A. Dodger teams with a bullpen ERA over four. This year\u2019s Dodgers are the sixth-worst among the 68 L.A. Dodger bullpens.<\/p>\n
Just to complete the thought, here\u2019s the 10 best bullpen ERAs since they moved to L.A. before the 1958 season:<\/p>\n
1. 1968, 2.14 (76-86)<\/p>\n
2. 1988, 2.35 (94-67)<\/p>\n
3. 1966, 2.38 (95-67)<\/p>\n
4. 2003, 2.46 (85-77)<\/p>\n
5. 1983, 2.50 (91-71)<\/p>\n
6. 2020, 2.74 (43-17)<\/p>\n
7. 1989, 2.75 (77-83)<\/p>\n
8. 1980, 2.83 (92-71)<\/p>\n
9. 1978, 2.84 (95-67)<\/p>\n
10. 1964, 2.86 (80-82)<\/p>\n
Last season\u2019s World Series champion team had a bullpen ERA of 3.53, which puts them around the middle of the pack, 30th-best in L.A. Dodger history.<\/p>\n
Now let\u2019s look at the 10 worst again, but compare them to the league ERA that season. After all, a team with 4.10 ERA in a league that averages a 3.90 ERA is better than a team that has a 4.10 ERA in a league that averages a 3.20 ERA.<\/p>\n
1958<\/b>
Bullpen ERA: 4.74
League ERA: 3.95
Difference: +0.79<\/p>\n
2001<\/b>
Bullpen ERA: 4.70
League ERA: 4.36
Difference: +0.34<\/p>\n
1994<\/b>
Bullpen ERA: 4.69
League ERA: 4.21
Difference: +0.48<\/p>\n
2005<\/b>
Bullpen ERA: 4.42
League ERA: 4.22
Difference: +0.20<\/p>\n
1999<\/b>
Bullpen ERA: 4.37
League ERA: 4.56
Difference, -0.19<\/p>\n
2025<\/b>
Bullpen ERA: 4.28
League ERA: 4.24
Difference: +0.04<\/p>\n
1995<\/b>
Bullpen ERA: 4.22
League ERA: 4.18
Difference: +0.04<\/p>\n
1979<\/b>
Bullpen ERA: 4.17
League ERA: 3.73
Difference: +0.44<\/p>\n
1961<\/b>
Bullpen ERA: 4.15
League ERA: 4.03
Difference: +0.12<\/p>\n
2006<\/b>
Bullpen ERA: 4.12
League ERA: 4.49
Difference: -0.37<\/p>\n
That 1958 bullpen, featuring Clem Labine<\/b>, Fred Kipp<\/b> and Johnny Klippstein<\/b> was pretty bad, while the 1999 bullpen (Jeff Shaw<\/b>, Alan Mills<\/b>, Onan Masaoka<\/b>) and the 2006 bullpen (Takashi Saito<\/b>, Jonathan Broxton<\/b>, Joe Beimel<\/b>) don\u2019t belong in the discussion of worst Dodger bullpens.<\/p>\n
But we\u2019re looking at this year\u2019s bullpen, and while they are about league average, the fact is the Dodgers spent a lot of money in the offseason to make it one of the league\u2019s best. Tanner Scott<\/b> got four years, $72 million, a signing that at this moment looks pretty terrible. Kirby Yates<\/b> (one year, $13 million) is worse than Scott on the mound. Most of the usual stalwarts are either not pitching well (Blake Treinen<\/b>) or injured (Evan Phillips<\/b>, Brusdar Graterol<\/b>). The best, most consistent relievers have been Jack Dreyer<\/b> and Alex Vesia<\/b>, both lefties. Edgardo Henriquez<\/b> has been good, but is still very green and has pitched only 17 innings this season. Anthony Banda <\/b>has been solid. Michael Kopech<\/b> can\u2019t find the strike zone (13 walks in 11 innings) and is back on the IL. And so on. In short, there is no one you really say \u201cI\u2019m glad he\u2019s in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
By the way, an interesting stat: In the last five Dodger losses, the pitcher of record (which means he got the loss) was Treinen. A Dodgers starting pitcher hasn\u2019t recorded a loss since Sept. 4.<\/p>\n
Are reinforcements on the way? Maybe, but what can we expect out of those reinforcements, namely Roki Sasaki<\/b> and Brock Stewart<\/b>? It would be hold your breath time if they came in too.<\/p>\n
The good news is that, especially for the first round, which lasts only three games at most, a couple of starters can go into the bullpen. Having Emmet Sheehan<\/b> coming in for relief could be a welcome sight.<\/p>\n
But basically, if you have feelings of dread over the bullpen, they won\u2019t be going away before October. Think of it as the perfect Halloween feeling. Frightened and anxious.<\/p>\n
This week<\/p>\n
This week is about winning the division and securing home-field advantage in the first round. The Dodgers have a 2 1\/2-game lead over San Diego with six to play. In effect, it is a four-game lead (the Dodgers are three games up in the loss column), because if the two teams tie, the Dodgers have the tiebreaker. The Dodgers\u2019 magic number to clinch the West is three.<\/p>\n
The Dodgers close with three games at Arizona and three games at Seattle. The Diamondbacks are fighting for the final wild-card spot, while the Mariners are fighting for the AL West division title.<\/p>\n
The Padres close with six games at home. Three with Milwaukee, which has clinched the NL Central division title and is 2-1\/2 games up on Philadelphia for the best record in baseball, and three with Arizona. The Padres beat the Brewers in extra innings Monday. They have a day off Thursday, while the Dodgers have no days off remaining.<\/p>\n
The first round starts a week from today, with the Dodgers (hopefully) playing host against either New York, Cincinnati or Arizona.<\/p>\n
Poll time<\/p>\n
If all goes as expected this week and the Dodgers win the West, which team would you prefer the Dodgers play in the first round, New York, Cincinnati or Arizona?<\/p>\n
Click here to vote<\/a>.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t the Dodgers\u2019 fault<\/p>\n The Dodgers have received a lot of criticism recently for being money hungry in \u201cputting Clayton Kershaw<\/b>\u2018s final home game on Apple TV+.\u201d And while there are times the Dodgers seek the almighty dollar, this wasn\u2019t one of them.<\/p>\n As Bill Shaikin explains in this story<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u201cThe exclusive broadcast rights for the game belong to Apple TV+, as part of a package of Friday night games bought from Major League Baseball. Apple is guaranteed a minimum of four exclusive broadcasts for whatever teams it chooses to air, according to a league official. Friday\u2019s game will be the Dodgers\u2019 fourth on Apple TV+ this season, so it remains exclusive to Apple.\u201d<\/p>\n People close to the situation not authorized to speak publicly have said that the Dodgers asked for permission to put the game on a local channel so everyone could watch, but Apple was not keen on that idea. <\/p>\n Will Smith<\/p>\n The worst thing for the Dodgers in the postseason might not be the bullpen, it might be the fact that Will Smith<\/b> has a hairline fracture of his right hand. He won\u2019t play this week, and the Dodgers are hoping he will be back for the postseason. The Dodgers have played well in his absence, but it would still be nice to have one of your best hitters in the lineup.<\/p>\n He will be replaced as a starter by Ben Rortvedt<\/b>, who has usurped Dalton Rushing<\/b> in the catcher hierarchy for the moment. Why, well, as Jack Harris recounts in this story<\/a>, the pitchers love the guy. The Dodgers have a 2.92 ERA in 14 games with Rortvedt behind the plate, compared to 4.00 for Rushing and 4.04 with Smith. Granted, it\u2019s a small sample size and the rotation was beginning to surge before Rortvedt took over for Smith, but it\u2019s still impressive for someone to come from outside the organization and fit in as seamlessly as he has. <\/p>\n Rortvedt is also hitting .270.341\/.324 with the Dodgers, far ahead of his career numbers of .192\/.280\/.269.<\/p>\n Up next<\/p>\n Tuesday<\/b>: Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani<\/b>, 1-1, 3.29 ERA) at Arizona (Brandon Pfaadt<\/b>, 13-8, 5.02 ERA), 6:40 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020<\/p>\n Wednesday<\/b>: Dodgers (*Blake Snell<\/b>, 5-4, 2.44 ERA) at Arizona (Ryne Nelson<\/b>, 7-3, 3.34 ERA), 6:40 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020<\/p>\n Thursday<\/b>: Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto<\/b>, 11-8, 2.58 ERA) at Arizona (Nabil Crismatt<\/b>, 3-0, 2.61 ERA), 12:40 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020<\/p>\n *-left-handed<\/p>\n In case you missed it<\/p>\n Hern\u00e1ndez: Roki Sasaki a playoff reliever? Don\u2019t put it past desperate Dodgers<\/a> <\/p>\n Shaikin: Clayton Kershaw was always at the heart of the Dodgers\u2019 franchise revival<\/a> <\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m really at peace.\u2019 Why Clayton Kershaw decided to make resurgent 2025 season his last<\/a> <\/p>\n And finally<\/p>\n Vin Scully <\/b>calls Hank Aaron<\/b>\u2018s 715th home run. Watch and listen here<\/a>. <\/p>\n Until next time…<\/p>\n Have a comment or something you\u2019d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com.<\/a> To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hi and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. 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