The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen has been under a microscope amid a prolonged stretch of struggles by several relievers, which in particular surfaced against the Philadelphia Phillies this week.
With the Dodgers holding a 4-0 lead in the sixth inning on Tuesday night, Justin Wrobleski and Edgardo Henriquez combined to give up six runs before managing to record three outs.
Jack Dreyer and Anthony Banda each had scoreless appearances, but Blake Treinen allowed the game-winning home run to Rafael Marchán with two outs in the ninth inning.
“They’re lacking confidence,” manager Dave Roberts said of the Dodgers bullpen. “They all want to pitch well, they all want the opportunities, but they’re not making good pitches when they need to, and a little careful at times.
“For me, I believe in the talent, but right now they’re just don’t have the confidence that they need to have to be consistent. So when you’re facing a team like this, that’s won a division, that’s going to grind at-bats, you’ve got to continue to make good pitches. When you don’t, they’re going to capitalize.”
The Dodgers bullpen has battled with inconsistency for much of the regular season, but Roberts reiterated his belief that they can turn things around before the playoffs.
“I absolutely think they can,” he said. “There’s a lot of guys that have experience, there’s some guys that have had nice years that are young players, so I do believe there’s time.
“For me, it’s trying to get these guys to understand that what’s done in the past has to be behind them. They’ve got to have a short memory, and I think that’s the thing that they’re having a hard time getting past.
“The short memory of, today is a new day, it’s a new opportunity to go out there and impose your will, be aggressive and not be afraid to fail. I think that’s where we’ve got to get the guys to as a unit.
“There’s no roles, it’s just kind of when the phone rings. That’s their mantra, to be ready to pitch. That hasn’t changed, so when they get the opportunity, just feel good about it and go out there and compete.”
Dave Roberts sees upside in Dodgers bullpen
Although the Dodgers bullpen has been a liability of late, Roberts believes in the talent of his pitchers and that it’s a matter of them simply finding confidence on the mound.
“The group is sort of going through it right now,” Roberts said. “They’ve got to find a way to remain confident and let go of the recent baggage.
“At times, each one of these guys has been fantastic. I know that the moment is not getting too big for them. They’ve got to just focus and make pitches. That’s what it boils down to. And you’ve got to get some confidence and keep going.
“Right now, you see it. Blake had five pitches and two outs, and then he gives up a double, and then he goes 3-0 and Stott is a contact guy and you’ve got the nine hitter up (after him), so I figure take a chance with the nine hitter, and he makes a bad pitch to him.
“He’s still Blake Treinen, but he’s still got to go out there, impose his will and make good pitches.”
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