The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen is going through another stretch where they’re shouldering a significant workload, and it potentially has been part of the reason for Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia being among those to experience some regression.
Entering Wednesday’s game against the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers bullpen has a 5.81 ERA during the month of July. That mark ranks 26th among all teams and is a far cry from their eighth-best ERA overall this season.
Prolonged slumps for a pitching staff happen throughout the course of a season, but Phillips is in the mix of arms that has, otherwise, been among their most consistent this year.
Phillips’ latest struggles came over the weekend against the Houston Astros when relatively weak contact still amounted to allowing two runs without retiring one batter.
That added to ongoing frustration for Phillips as he’s not missing many bats of late, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“They put good swings on what I thought were pretty good pitches,” Phillips said. “That kind of spot, I can execute well until the end of the day but I need to get guys out. That’s kind of the position I’m in right now. I feel like if I do my job there it sets us up better to finish the game in an easier manner. So really frustrating not to get the job done in that kind of spot.”
The Astros’ hits against Phillips had exit velocities of 94.7, 65.5, 67.2 and 81.8 mph. Moreover, his issues against left-handed hitters and an increase in contact allowed, pushed his season ERA to 4.18, to go along with a 4.01 FIP and 1.33 WHIP.
And since June 30, Phillips owns an 11.42 ERA, 8.45 FIP and .390 batting average allowed.
Evan Phillips out of Dodgers closer role
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been noncommittal about how he’ll manage Phillips going ahead. What is clear is Phillips no longer is entrenched as Dodgers closer at present time.
The team still did not fill that role at the trade deadline, with their lone bullpen acquisition instead being to add Michael Kopech as part of a three-team trade with the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals.
The Dodgers reportedly had interest in Tanner Scott, who the Miami Marlins traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for a significant return.
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