Dodgers Suffer Heavy Loss but Remain Optimistic

It could have been worse. Really. Emmett Sheehan’s rough outing on Sunday led to the Dodgers employing six relievers in a 13-5 defeat to the Angels. However, this unexpected use of the bullpen shouldn’t have long-term impacts, especially with no games scheduled for Monday.

In the initial games of the series, the Dodgers leaned very little on their relievers. Aki Sasaki pitched seven innings on Friday, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto went deep into Saturday’s matchup, notching eight innings.

This wasn’t just a one-time thing. Throughout the season, the starting pitchers have significantly eased the burden on the bullpen. So far, Dodgers’ relievers have pitched a total of 206 2/3 innings, the lowest in the league, which is a stark contrast to last season when their bullpen led in innings pitched.

Manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence that the bullpen would remain fresh as they gear up for six consecutive games against the Pirates and Cubs. He noted that the Padres had struggled last year because their bullpen faltered mid-season.

“Any time you can get length from your starters, it’s beneficial,” Roberts said. “If we can manage their innings, it will pay off now and in the long run.” He acknowledged it largely depends on the starters maintaining their performance.

This season, the starting pitchers have thrown more innings than any other team’s rotation—375 2/3 to be precise. Roberts’ preference for a six-man rotation has likely contributed to this. The pitchers have more rest and can pitch deeper into games.

The Dodgers are in a unique situation with their six starting pitchers. Shohei Ohtani’s role as a two-way player allows for an extra starting pitcher without taking up a traditional roster spot. Even with All-Stars Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the injured list, the Dodgers enjoy the depth necessary for major league-quality starts.

With Ohtani and Yamamoto leading, the Dodgers have two of the league’s best pitchers. They also field a promising younger group in Sasaki, Sheehan, and Justin Robleski. Eric Lauer serves as a solid replacement while they await the return of Snell and Glasnow or River Ryan from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Sheehan’s performance on Sunday was unanticipated, especially after he had pitched well in three of his last four starts. In the second inning, he walked two consecutive batters, loading the bases after a taxing 15-pitch at-bat against Nick Madrigal.

“It’s frustrating,” Sheehan remarked. “We weren’t efficient or good overall.” After the Angels scored two runs due to Sebastian Rivero’s single, Roberts decided to remove Sheehan from the game, realizing he had thrown 36 pitches in just the first inning.

“I didn’t want to see him go past 40 pitches,” Roberts explained, but the game was already slipping away.

Blake Treinen allowed two runs in the fourth inning, while Alex Bashear, who had recently secured a save, gave up more runs in the fifth. Suddenly, the Dodgers found themselves down 6-1.

Though Dalton Rushing and Ryan Ward hit consecutive home runs to close the gap to 6-5 in the sixth, Jonathan Hernandez let in six runs in the seventh.

Hernandez came in during the fifth inning, and Roberts had planned to extend him to keep the game manageable. As per usual, the Dodgers seemed to focus on the bigger picture.

Catcher Will Smith missed his second game due to neck tightness, but Roberts mentioned that Smith’s status for Tuesday in Pittsburgh remains uncertain. He also opted to rest Mookie Betts and Andy Pages, who, at just 25, has played nine consecutive days, including four on grass in Arizona.

The Dodgers could afford this loss; they are still significantly behind the Diamondbacks and Padres in the standings. Fortunately, their bullpen is expected to bounce back in time for their next match-up.