Only a good Dodger losing streak can bring me out of my writing funk. It seems like the more things go wrong for the Dodgers, the more fuel I have to write. I’m half joking but as the Dodgers enter tonight’s rubber game against the White Sox they sit at 2.5 games behind the Dbacks in the NL West clinging to second place by just two games over the Giants. The Dodger’s pitching staff is an absolute disaster and that is what is prompting me to write today.
This could be the worst pitching we’ve seen since they moved to Los Angeles. The starting rotation is fragile, injury prone and underwhelming. The bullpen is even worse. Right now the Dodgers have the worst bullpen in the National League. They currently have a 4.90 bullpen ERA, which is 29 out of the 30 MLB teams. Only the minor league and soon to be Las Vegas A’s have a worse relief corp.
Last night was yet another debacle. After Clayton Kershaw gave the boys in blue a gritty six innings and the bats staked the pen to a 4-2 lead, it looked like a foregone conclusion that Kershaw and the Dodgers would pick up the win. Nothing is a foregone conclusion for the Dodger’s pitching staff this year. Those ineffective relievers gave up 6 runs over the last three innings. Manager Dave Roberts used 5 arms and the Dodgers lost 8-4. It was a demoralizing loss, especially after the pen blew game after game after game on the last road trip.
Roberts was just as frustrated as the media and fans were after the latest train wreck. Yet while displaying some emotions, he offered the usual platitudes and no solutions. The organization doesn’t have any answers right now.
Dustin May, Julio Urias, and Ryan Pepiot are all out with injuries. Urias has a strained hamstring and should be back at some point within the next few weeks. May is unlikely to pitch again this season no matter what diversion tactics Roberts and Freidman use. Pepiot is doubtful to return as well. Walker Buehler is out until September. Noah Syndergaard is pathetic and useless. This leaves the Dodgers with Clayton Kershaw, rookie sensation Bobby Miller, Tony Gonsolin and Michael Grove and not much else. Grove is making the start tonight with gulp the bullpen going tomorrow night against the Giants.
That should doom the Dodgers to another for sure loss. The Dodgers have one good reliever Evan Phillips. The rest of the relievers are pitch to contact type guys who don’t miss bats and give up a ton of home runs. 36 to be exact. The Dodgers desperately need Grove to give them length in tonight’s game or we’re going to see another disaster. Bullpen games are a terrible strategy for teams who have good pens, but to do a bullpen game when you have a terrible one is mind blowing to me. The Dodgers need more innings from their starters, no matter who that is. I’ll have more on the terrible pitching in later posts, but if the Dodgers want to contend this year, they are going to have to find better pitching.
I totally agree with you Scott.
You mentioned the only arms currently available are Kershaw, Miller, Gonsolin, and Grove. Rookie sensation Miller has been there most consistent pitcher. Gonsolin and Kershaw are hot or cold. Grove’s ERA is too high, and he was pitching BP tonight against the Chisox. The starters are not eating enough innings, so the bullpen is on fumes. The lack of a reliable closer has prevented the relievers from establishing their true roles.
The defense is shaky at times, that coupled with an offense that can score runs, but still struggle with RISP, not being able to score enough runs to back up their struggling pitching staff. This team can score 6 runs, but still end up with double digits in runners LOB and RISP.
Optimism with regards to the pitchers on the IL can only go so far. They need pitching help now. Snakes still hang on to first, with the Giants and Padres are now playing well and closing fast. The Dodgers may soon be joining the Rockies in the West cellar before you know it
How long can they wait for their injured pitchers to not only get off the IL but also return to form? Not long, that’s for sure.
Lucky win tonight to win the series. Grove was dreadful, but bullpen stepped up with 6 scoreless. Grove’s ERA balloons to 8.10, yielding 4 dingers in 5 innings 92 pitches.
Without CT3’s grand salami in the 6th, the game would have been lost. Betts great at bat in the 11th tired out Crochet enough to set up Freeman for the game winning hit. Still a dreadful offense, 3-11 RISP, 14 LOB, 16 K’s.
Hot Giants coming to town. Are the Dodgers opening with a bullpen game? Yikes!
Looks like Emmet Sheehan is getting the start. Great decision. No more bullpen games please.
Very astute comments. Indeed if none of the Dodgers positive plays occurred, they surely would have lost the game.
You can extend that logic further, if we only count the Dodgers losses they will be a sub-500 team!
Emmit Sheehan…. Open tryouts! I like it! Give the kids a look-see. They just might be able to step up their game as Bobby Miller did. They have nothing to lose. Time to separate the Men from the Boys. Just sad that the Dodgers cannot muster up better starting pitching for the showdown with the Gnats.
The Dodger Brass may downplay this critical series, but it is crucial to set the tone for the Western Division pennant race. SF would love to just rub it in the Dodgers’ faces. No time is the right time to get embarrassed by the Hated Ones!
Well, leave it to the Dodgers to waste an amazing gutsy performance by Sheehan in his ML Debut. Sloppy base running AGAIN. Pathetic bullpen performance AGAIN. Wasted opportunities AGAIN (5-17 RISP, 11 LOB, 11 K’s). Giants tried to give the Dodgers the win in the 11th, but Dodgers wasted to opportunity.
DR yanking Sheehan after 6 no-hit innings. A little deja vu, as Doctor Hook yanks another pitcher from a no-hit performance. How in the hell are you going to get length from your starters, if you rarely let them go 5-6 innings? Why not give your starter a little extra rope, especially when your bullpen stinks? Why bring in both Bazooka and Gonzalez, who are notorious for inability to hold onto a lead? Vesia is a basket case.
So, more injuries? CT3 sore knee… could it be ACL or Meniscus tear? Peralta a hammy?
Better bring up some more rookies… they had 5 in the lineup tonight.
Not pretty, Dodger Fans.