In the thick of what could be a make-or-break postseason run, the Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen continues to show cracks that manager Dave Roberts can't quite patch. Alex Vesia, the left-handed reliever who's been a steady force this season with a sharp 2.75 ERA over 59 appearances, landed on the injured list in late August with a nagging right oblique strain. It felt like a gut punch at the time, especially after Vesia had just locked down a five-out save against the Padres to clinch a sweep. Roberts, ever the optimist, downplayed the severity back then, insisting it would be a brief absence. But as the calendar flips to October, the bullpen's unreliability is staring the team down like an unwelcome shadow.
Indeed, the Dodgers' relief corps has been a mixed bag all year. They posted a respectable 3.53 ERA during the regular season, ranking fourth in the majors, yet postseason pressure has exposed the flaws. In Game 1 of the NL Wild Card against the Reds just days ago, the relievers faltered badly even as the starters shone—Blake Snell tossed seven strong innings, and the bats crushed five home runs, but the bullpen blew it. Vesia, who returned in early September and spoke confidently about the group's potential, was missed more than ever in those high-leverage spots. However, his rehab seemed smooth enough; he was back pitching by mid-month, boosting a unit that Roberts has leaned on heavily. Still, meltdowns like the one in Cleveland back in May, where Vesia and Tanner Scott unraveled an eighth inning, linger in the memory.
Roberts' track record with injuries raises eyebrows here—his updates often sound too rosy, and Vesia's case isn't the first to drag on. The manager stuck with Vesia through a rough patch earlier this summer, trusting his stuff despite some shaky outings. Moreover, with the World Series dreams hanging by a thread, the Dodgers are hoping Vesia's fully sharpened now, oblique be damned. Yet the bullpen's 648 innings pitched this year, fifth in MLB, haven't translated to the clutch moments that win titles. It's a reminder that even a stacked roster can unravel if the arms behind the starters aren't ironclad.
What does this mean for the Dodgers' championship hopes? Only time, and perhaps a few more tense innings, will tell.