"The postseason started for the Dodgers on Tuesday night, and their pumpkin of a bullpen didn't magically transform into an elegant carriage in a 10-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of their National League wild-card series. On a night when the hitters crushed five home runs and starter Blake Snell completed seven innings, the relievers continued to be as terrible as they were over the last three months of the regular season."
"The Dodgers technically moved a win closer to defending their World Series title, but that ultimate goal suddenly looked further out of reach because of a shocking 30-minute top of the eighth inning in which three of their arsonist relievers nearly created a save situation out of an eight-run game. Can a team possibly win a World Series with such an unreliable bullpen?"
The Dodgers beat the Reds 10-5 in Game 1 of the National League wild-card series. Hitters launched five home runs and starter Blake Snell worked seven innings. A 30-minute eighth-inning collapse featured three relievers walking in runs and allowing hits, nearly turning an eight-run lead into a save situation. The meltdown revived concerns about a bullpen that struggled throughout the final three months of the regular season. Manager Dave Roberts may consider using starters Tyler Glasnow and Emmet Sheehan, and possibly Shohei Ohtani, in relief roles to stabilize late-inning matchups. Bullpen reliability now clouds postseason outlook.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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