Talk about a turnaround! Just 41 days ago, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was apparently asking the media what choices he truly had for ninth-inning bullpen deployment. Flash forward to late September, and Roberts is now saying the team is in its best position ever when it comes to the bullpen. This crew just shut down the San Diego Padres for a big win, reminding everyone of the 2024 playoffs when the bullpen was clutch against those same Friars.
The Return of the Arms: Diaz and Sasaki Are Back
A massive part of this surge in confidence? Edwin Diaz, the closer they paid handsomely this offseason, is looking like himself again. Yeah, it’s been a rough season for him, landing on the IL twice and even rocking an ERA over 11.00 at one point this summer. But since his latest return, he’s faced 11 batters, punched out six, and only allowed two to reach base. Roberts isn’t mincing words either, saying that if you’re one of the 12 pitchers on a postseason roster, “you’re in the trust tree,” and Diaz has absolutely put himself “right smack in that conversation.” Huge credit to him for righting the ship after all he’s been through this year. Roki Sasaki is also back from his own IL stint, dealing with dermabond on a blister. He allowed a couple of singles in Tuesday night’s game but worked around them for a scoreless inning. He’s slated to appear Friday night, pushing for a bullpen spot that will likely stay fluid in the postseason.
Scott’s High-Leverage Role and Other Key Pieces
The most reliable arm out of the bullpen this season has been Tanner Scott, and Roberts wants to use him where he can make the biggest impact, even if it’s not always the ninth inning. Roberts said, “if there’s an opportunity, for example, for Tanner to pitch a high-leverage inning in the seventh or the eighth inning, it’s just hard to pass that up if he’s the best option right there.” He gets it: you just don’t know where the ninth inning is going to be. Evan Phillips and Brock Stewart are also solid options in the mix. The team is even holding out hope that Edguardo Henriquez can shake off his back issues and contribute in the playoffs. With the starters this team has, Roberts truly thinks this may be the best pitching staff the Dodgers have ever sent into the postseason.
This bullpen is rounding into form at exactly the right time. They’re looking to keep the momentum rolling into Friday night’s game. If they keep pitching like this, the postseason just got a whole lot more interesting.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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