Dodgers batters have managed a pathetic two hits in 30 at-bats against the Brewers bullpen so far in the National League Championship Series, and it’s absolutely killing their offense through two games. Milwaukee’s relievers have been completely unhittable, combining for 9 2/3 scoreless innings that have slammed the door shut on Los Angeles.
Milwaukee’s Untouchable Arms Are Shutting Down LA
Seriously, what is going on with this Brewers bullpen? They’ve been lights out. Aaron Ashby has been a workhorse, pitching multiple innings in both games for a total of 3 2/3 innings already. Then you’ve got Abner Uribe, who’s also been out there in both games, grabbing four outs in Game 2 alone and racking up four strikeouts across 2 1/3 innings.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy isn’t holding back either. When asked about his plan for the back end, including closer Trevor Megill, he didn’t mince words on Tuesday’s off day: “Keep throwing them out there. They can rest next year.” Talk about confidence! He did add a little caution about familiarity, saying, “Familiarity to a team is a thing. You have to be conscious of that too. We’re not going to go forward without other people stepping up. Some other people have to step up.”
So far, Milwaukee has thrown six different pitchers out of the pen, even bringing in starter Dustin May for an inning in Game 2. And get this: they still have right-handers Antonio Senzatela and Chad Patrick, plus left-handers Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison waiting in the wings, not counting Game 3 starter Robert Gasser. That’s some serious depth.
LA’s Offense Goes Silent When It Matters Most
On the flip side, the Dodgers are absolutely sputtering when it comes to late-game heroics. They scraped their only run in Game 1 during the second inning and then went completely silent after the fifth in Game 2. You just can’t win an NLCS like that.
It’s not like the Dodgers bullpen is completely falling apart. They were considered a strength, maybe even the deepest postseason bullpen they’ve had in recent years, boasting a 3.13 ERA with 27 strikeouts and eight unintentional walks over 23 innings this postseason. But in the NLCS specifically, they’ve coughed up four runs in 8 1/3 innings, though they’ve still got 15 strikeouts.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts knows they’re in trouble. He admitted Tuesday, “I think the best solution is to catch a good lead and keep those guys in the pen. But with that, you’ve just got to find a way to stack some good at-bats and find a way to get some outfield grass.” He’s right. They need to figure out these Brewers arms. “They’re all different, Uribe to Ashby to [DL] Hall to Megill, they’re all different. So I can’t really answer one specific answer. You’ve just got to compete against those guys. They’re very good.”
With Game 3 looming after the off day, and Robert Gasser set to start for Milwaukee, the Dodgers desperately need to find a way to wake up their bats against these Brewers relievers. If they can’t even get hits, let alone runs, late in games, this series could be over before they know it.
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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