For a long time, many people had been under the impression that if the Los Angeles Dodgers' stars are healthy for the playoffs, the franchise will win its second straight championship. But an incomplete bullpen cannot withstand the perils of October. The same is true in September, as LA's shorthanded and underachieving relief unit once again stumbled on Tuesday night.
Despite a masterful Shohei Ohtani performance, the Dodgers (88-69) combusted and fell 5-4 versus the home-team Arizona Diamondbacks (80-77). Jack Dreyer and closer Tanner Scott allowed two runs each, resulting in a Geraldo Perdomo walk-off hit. The recurring theme in these debacles is a lack of strikes. LA's relievers consistently got behind in the count, making the D-backs' comeback effort much easier. Manager Dave Roberts offered an explanation for the ongoing problem.
‘That’s a sign you’re either scared or you’re pitching too careful,” the two-time World Series-winning skipper said, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, after his squad blew a 4-0 lead in the later innings.
Dodgers need stability
This is when players are supposed to rise to the occasion, not wilt. Roberts needs pitchers he can trust to attack the zone when necessary. During the playoffs, an absence of control is an invitation to mayhem. It is the surest way to keep a team in the game. The Diamondbacks hung around, earned the win and keep pace with the New York Mets in the National League Wild Card race. They owe the Dodgers a thank you letter.
Scott's scuffles are most concerning. Ownership invested a four-year, $72 million contract in the the flame-throwing left-hander, believing him to be a potential difference-maker in the playoffs. Amid a brutal 2025 campaign, many fans are arguing that Scott should not even be on the active roster come October. He hit a batter, walked another and gave up the walk-off single to Perdomo, erasing a 4-3 ninth-inning lead and raising his season ERA to 4.91. His 10 blown saves stand alone.
Tanner Scott is not the only perpetrator, but he is the one who draws the most attention. The Dodgers' shaky pen needs to start throwing strikes, otherwise it will enter the playoffs extremely vulnerable. While it is obviously difficult to overcome the lengthy absences of Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips, there is no excuse for giving opponents free bases.
If Dave Roberts is right about pitchers being “scared or too careful,” he better give them some confidence immediately.
