The Los Angeles Dodgers jumped out to a lead against the Cincinnati Reds from the very first at-bat. For most of the game, it looked like the Dodgers were in total control. However, one recurring issue reappeared: the bullpen's inability to hold a lead. This has been a major problem for quite some time.
“What happened was the Dodgers’ belief in the recovering health of their bullpen. And, um, yeah, unless you want to bring Bobby Miller up from Oklahoma City to close games (not a bad idea, eh?), it’s not getting fixed anytime soon,” Los Angeles Times’ Bill Plaschke wrote.
The bullpen has been plagued by multiple injuries, and more bad news came with the confirmation that Brusdar Graterol won’t pitch this season.
“Graterol underwent surgery after the World Series to repair the labrum in his right shoulder. It's a major procedure with a long timetable for recovery, and Graterol was not expected to pitch this year before the All-Star break. Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers placed Graterol on the injured list in March. Although Graterol had reported to the Dodgers' Camelback Ranch complex in Arizona to begin his rehab, manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday the pitcher has not been cleared to begin a throwing program. Now, Roberts said, it appears unlikely Graterol will have enough time to pitch in 2025,” SI’s JP Hoornstra reported.
With multiple concerns surrounding the bullpen heading into October, it didn’t take long for those worries to flare up once again.
“This is why the Dodgers face an uphill battle to win the World Series. Alex Vesia and Edgardo Henriquez were two of LA's best relievers this year and couldn't comfortably protect an 8-run lead. The starters literally have to carry this team through October, including in relief,” Dodgers Nation’s Noah Camras wrote.
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This is already a potentially disastrous sign for the Dodgers. They may be able to get past the Reds playing like this, but it won’t work in the later rounds of the playoffs.
If the Dodgers don’t figure out their bullpen problems quickly, a back-to-back World Series Championship run won’t be happening this October.