LOS ANGELES — Before the season started, both Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the same thing.
“I think we are the best version of ourselves when it’s Kenley (Jansen in the closer role),” Friedman said, even though the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series with Jansen moved out of the closer role.
In the wake of three blown saves in five days, Roberts dismissed suggestions that he should re-evaluate the closer role, instead reaffirming that he still believes the Dodgers’ bullpen is best with Jansen as the last man.
“I do,” he said Friday. “If you look back at four days ago, he was one of the top two or three closers in baseball. It’s interesting how things change over the course of two games, albeit two games in a row. He and other guys in our ’pen have picked up a lot of guys this year. And so I just don’t think that two games causes me to question a role.”
Having Jansen as closer “does allow for people to be in their rightful roles,” Roberts said.
Right-hander Blake Treinen is the most obvious candidate to replace Jansen as closer if the Dodgers were inclined to go that route. But moving Treinen into the closer role would weaken the Dodgers’ bullpen overall by moving him out of his current role.
“That’s right. That’s exactly right,” Roberts said. “We’ve used him in leverage – call it the fifth inning, the sixth, the seventh inning, a certain part of the lineup – being a fireman and to be able to go one-plus, I think has allowed us to win a lot of ballgames.”
Treinen has entered games in every inning from the sixth on, frequently entering in the middle of innings. Roberts has targeted Treinen at the most difficult stretches of the opposing lineup – 101 of the 162 batters Treinen had faced through Friday were in the first through fourth spots of the batting order.
Jansen has also faced 162 batters this season. Pitching almost exclusively in save situations, however, Jansen has faced the first through fourth hitters in the opposing lineup just 72 times.
Roberts acknowledged the Dodgers do not have any reliever who could effectively replace Treinen in his current role.
“We don’t,” he said.
MOOKIE LIMBO
Outfielder Mookie Betts was not in the Dodgers’ starting lineup for the sixth consecutive game Friday and Roberts indicated Betts will not be available Saturday or Sunday either as the Dodgers wait for his hip pointer to subside.
Roberts said Betts had some “imaging” done on his right hip Thursday and “it didn’t really show anything as far as anything new. It’s more per his tolerance.”
Betts appeared as a pinch-hitter in Monday’s game. A move to the injured list now could be backdated to that game – which would rule him out for the three-game series in San Francisco that begins Tuesday. The Dodgers are playing with a short bench in the meantime, betting that “potentially, hopefully (Betts will) be ready to play against the Giants on Tuesday.”
“We feel good about standing pat and waiting it out,” Roberts said.
LUX STATUS
Infielder Gavin Lux has been on the IL since injuring his left hamstring Sunday in Colorado. But he increased his workouts Friday afternoon, doing some sprint work and light running.
“Starting to make some progress, for sure. It actually feels pretty good,” Lux said. “I think that (his increased workout) is a pretty good indication of how things are going – overall, a lot better than I initially thought.”
Lux will be eligible to return on Thursday but he wouldn’t venture a guess as to when he will be ready to play again.
“Honestly, I’m not too sure. I know hamstrings are tricky and everybody is different,” he said. “To be honest, I’m not sure what the next step is. Just take it day by day, step by step and pretty much go from there.”
ROSTER MOVES
With his wife expected to give birth to the couple’s first child, Max Muncy left the team after Thursday night’s game to join her in Arizona. Muncy was placed on paternity leave Friday and is expected to rejoin the Dodgers in San Francisco on Tuesday.
To replace him on the active roster, the Dodgers recalled right-hander Brusdar Graterol and left-hander Darien Nunez. Left-hander Garrett Cleavinger was also optioned to Triple-A.
UP NEXT
Rockies (LHP Kyle Freeland, 1-4, 5.36 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Tony Gonsolin, 1-1, 2.83 ERA), Saturday 6:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM
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