The bullpen of the Los Angeles Dodgers was by far the team’s biggest weakness this season and could be one of the primary reasons why the club is playing in the wild card without a first-round bye. With a 4.12 combined ERA and 26 blown saves, the relief crew went from what was expected to be a strength to an obvious vulnerability. Players like Michael Kopech and Brock Stewart are now out of the picture, while other arms like Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen and Kirby Yates have been struggling badly.
With plenty of postseason roster decisions to make, the defending World Series champions are scrambling to cobble together a relief corps that improves their chances. The solution? A crew that includes turning Hall of Fame starter Clayton Kershaw into a reliever and rookie sensation Roki Sasaki into a bullpen weapon.
The desperation became apparent Wednesday night against Arizona, when manager Dave Roberts turned to both Sasaki and Kershaw out of the bullpen in an 11-inning victory. The Dodgers have an MLB-worst 13 blown saves since the All-Star break.
“We’re trying to clinch this thing,” Roberts said at the time, when the division was still up for grabs. “We’re trying to win baseball games. And then we can worry about the postseason.”
Kershaw’s Role Reversal
Kershaw was tasked with preserving a tie in the bottom of the ninth in his first regular-season relief appearance since September of 2019. He threw a perfect inning, just one frame after Alex Vesia and Edgardo Henriquez imploded to let the D-Backs come back to tie the game. The 37-year-old Kershaw has embraced the role change with professionalism, understanding the mathematical reality of a six-man rotation in October.
“We have six amazing starters,” Kershaw said. “And so it’s just, yeah, I can do the math. So if I want to be a part of it in any way, I’ll do whatever they want.”
Kershaw’s willingness to contribute in any way possible speaks to both his competitive drive and the team’s desperate need for reliable bullpen arms. His veteran presence and postseason experience could provide stability in high-leverage situations where some of the other relievers have struggled.
Sasaki’s Velocity Spike
Perhaps even more intriguing is Sasaki’s transition to relief work. He’s been sitting at 98 to 99 mph with his four-seam since his comeback. In eight starts before he was injured, Sasaki had hit 99 mph just eight times — all in his season debut.
The velocity spike represents a significant development for a pitcher who could be more effective in shorter stints than pacing himself over multiple innings. His stuff has ticked up significantly in relief, making him a potential weapon in high-leverage situations.
“The two biggest factors,” Sasaki explained through interpreter Will Ireton, “is just knowing the fact that I’m healthy and that’s way past behind me. Mechanically, being able to finally find a place where I feel really confident with my mechanics.”
Can Sheehan Maintain Momentum?
Roberts recently confirmed Sheehan is going to pitch out of the bullpen during the playoffs, though he won’t likely be used in multi-inning situations. Instead, the 25-year-old right-hander will work in shorter, high-leverage spots where his electric stuff can play up.
“I’m not concerned about Emmet,” Roberts said about using Sheehan in late-game scenarios, despite the pitcher making just six relief appearances in his 28 career games with the Dodgers.
With the regular relief crew proving unreliable, Sheehan’s power arsenal and competitive makeup make him a logical candidate to handle crucial innings.
Looking Ahead
The bullpen reconstruction may be perfectly timed for the wild card format. The shorter series allows them to use their most reliable arms more frequently while limiting the use of their weakest relievers.
Even more importantly, if the Dodgers advance past the wild card round, they could choose an entirely different relief crew for the NLDS. If they win in two games, a short break could provide a chance to reset, potentially bringing back different arms or adjusting roles based on player matchups.