For as much as the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen has been criticized this season, they’ve been the backbone of the club over the last month. Kenley Jansen has again served as the anchor, with the likes of Joe Blanton, Casey Fien and Adam Liberatore also playing significant roles.
In the last 45 games, a Dodgers starting pitcher not named Clayton Kershaw has failed to pitch at least seven innings in a start; the last was Scott Kazmir, doing so on May 14. On the current homestand, which began July 1, Dodgers relievers have thrown 44 innings entering Sunday.
They shouldered another heavy on Saturday as Brandon McCarthy was lifted after five innings. Adam Liberatore was among those who appeared, though it was brief as he only faced two batters over the seventh and eighth innings.
He struck out both hitters and set a Dodgers franchise record by completing a 24th consecutive scoreless appearance. Liberatore was unaware of his accomplishment and found it strange to receive a congratulatory message from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, via Bill Plunkett of the OC Register:
“That seemed like a really weird thing to say in that situation,” Liberatore said. “Being pulled from the game and they’re saying, ‘Congrats.’”
Liberatore surpassed John Candelaria’s 23 consecutive scoreless appearances, set in 1991. Liberatore has thrown 18.2 shutout innings during his streak, retiring 54 of 66 batters faced, including 23 on strikeouts.
The left-handed reliever has allowed just two runs in his 38 appearances this season. He’s recorded 33 strikeouts to 10 walks over 29.1 innings pitched. The Dodgers acquired Liberatore and Joel Peralta in a November 2014 trade, or the month after Andrew Friedman took over as president of baseball operations in Los Angeles.
