Sunday, May 5, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
Going into the 2024 season, the Los Angeles Dodgers thought their bullpen would be their strength. Like in the 2023 season, when injuries decimated their starting rotation, injuries have ruined their bullpen. Sunday the Dodgers placed their closer Evan Phillips with a mild hamstring pull on the 15-day IL. They activated Blake Treinen, who hasn’t pitched much in the major leagues since the 2021 season.
Phillips has been brilliant since he assumed the closing role at the beginning of the 2022 season. This season he has 8 saves and a 0.66 ERA. When the Dodgers have a lead in the ninth, they know they will win. The Dodgers think Phillips’ hamstring will be healed in fifteen days.
The Dodgers don’t have either Brusdar Graterol or Ryan Brasier, top relievers. Graterol was their top reliever in the 2023 season. He hasn’t pitched at all during this season. He has an inflamed right shoulder. This past week he threw a bullpen session. Since he missed spring training, he will need a lengthy rehab assignment.
When Brasier joined the Dodger bullpen in June, 2023, he turned the bullpen from one of the worst into one of the best in baseball. Just before spring training, Brasier signed a two-year contract. He hasn’t performed as well as he did in the 2023 season, but he still is a good reliever.
Monday, Brasier pulled a calf muscle while running sprints before the game. According to Dave Roberts, it will be a while before Brasier returns.
Treinen was crucial during the abbreviated 2020 world champion season, and he was great in the 2021 season. However, his right shoulder flared up during the 2022 spring training. Trying to avoid surgery, he used alternative medicine, which didn’t work, even though he appeared in a few games during September.
In October, Treinen underwent major shoulder surgery. He tried to come back in late during the 2023 season, but he wasn’t bouncing back after his rehab outings, and the Dodgers decided to shut down Treinen.
This spring, Treinen looked healthy and ready to continue dominating the major leagues until a line drive comebacker hit his ribs. He suffered a bruised lung. His recovery was slower than the Dodgers hoped. Since Treinen has 79 major league saves, he might assume Phillips’ closing role.
The Dodgers have Joe Kelly who can close games. For the first two weeks of this season, Kelly struggled with his control. Lately, he has been fantastic.
Alex Vesia can be a closer. A notorious slow starter, Vesia struggled, but lately, with more sliders and change ups, Vesia has been dominating.
Despite having many injuries, the Dodger bullpen is still good, and the Dodgers must have a good bullpen to be one of the elite major league teams.
