As the Los Angeles Dodgers navigate the early chaos of the 2025 postseason, their bullpen continues to draw sharp scrutiny. On Tuesday night in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Reds, the relievers imploded spectacularly, allowing runs that turned a potential rout into a narrow escape. Manager Dave Roberts, ever the optimist, stuck with his high-leverage arms, but the results were predictably grim—a collective 5.40 ERA in the late innings that echoed the regular-season woes.
Alex Vesia, the lefty firebrand who's become a cornerstone of the pen, had only just returned from a nagging right oblique strain that sidelined him for weeks in August. Placed on the injured list retroactive to August 23, Vesia missed crucial games, forcing Roberts to shuffle his options amid a barrage of injuries. When he did come back in early September, Vesia looked sharp at first, logging a 2.75 ERA over 59 appearances before the hurt. Yet, in the playoffs, that rust showed. He entered the eighth inning against Cincinnati with bases loaded and promptly surrendered a two-run double, his fastball lacking its usual bite.
Roberts defended his choice postgame, insisting Vesia's experience outweighed the risk. "He's our guy in those spots," the skipper said, though his voice carried a hint of frustration. Indeed, the bullpen's unreliability has plagued the Dodgers all year—their 3.53 regular-season ERA ranked fourth in MLB, but postseason pressure exposes cracks. Tanner Scott and others melted down too, turning what should have been a sweep into a grind. Moreover, Roberts' track record with overworked relievers raises eyebrows; Vesia himself begged to stay in during an August sweep of the Padres, only to push through fatigue.
However, not all is doom. Vesia spoke confidently after a September win, touting the pen's potential to lock down late leads. Still, as the series shifts to Dodger Stadium, Roberts must recalibrate. Can Vesia rediscover his 2024 World Series form, where he bailed out teammates in clutch moments? The bullpen's fate hangs on it, and so does the Dodgers' October run.
In the end, playoff baseball often boils down to those final outs—will Roberts' trust pay off, or force a rethink?