It is no secret that the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen has been an Achilles heel over the past few seasons. The same has held true in 2016, though the Dodgers’ inconsistent offense certainly hasn’t been of aid.
The one constant bright spot has been Kenley Jansen, who has 16 saves with a 1.17 ERA while only blowing one lead thus far into the season. Other relievers have been hit or miss, but the group has performed well of late.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes one reason could be an improvement in comfort level. “I’m more comfortable with the guys in the bullpen and I think they’re more comfortable in whatever role I put them in,” he said this week.
The Dodgers also largely did away with dedicated roles last season, though Luis Avilan and Chris Hatcher emerged as late-inning options. Avilan is currently with Triple-A Oklahoma City and Hatcher has largely underperformed.
Roberts again reiterated the club doesn’t have many hard-set rules or roles within the bullpen. “There really aren’t dedicated roles outside of Kenley. Certain guys pitch in the sixth, seventh or eighth,” he said.
“I think it comes down to a particular lineup that night and what part of the lineup at that point in the game. We’ve seen Petey in the sixth and also the eighth inning. I think they’re getting the rhythm and seeing what spots are best for them. They’re responding and pitching well.”
The strategy comes with its positives and negatives. “It’s easier, but I don’t know if it’s always best,” Roberts said of a bullpen without dedicated roles. “You’ve got to look at your personnel. I think it’s easier to say, ‘seven, eight, nine, or six, seven, eight.’ But I think it’s best to put every player in position to have success. That’s what I believe we’re doing.”
The Dodgers’ bullpen enters play Friday night against the San Francisco Giants with a 3.14 ERA, which ranks sixth-best in the Majors and third in the National League. They leads the Majors with an opponents’ .607 on-base plus slugging percentage.
While there’s been recent improvement, Roberts acknowledged the relationship with his relievers remains a work in progress. “We’re learning one another, and I think they’re getting more comfortable with me,” he said.
