In the seventh inning on Tuesday, Edgardo Henriquez faced a slow play that he initially misplayed, and then threw so wide to first base that the ball rolled to the right field fence.
Minnesota Twins runners scored, and boos echoed through the Dodger Stadium stands. The Dodgers’ bullpen suffered another implosion, allowing six runs in two innings, resulting in a 10-7 loss, their eleventh in 14 games.
The Dodgers’ most expensive reliever, Tanner Scott, was placed on the injured list on Tuesday with what was initially described as elbow inflammation. An MRI confirmed the diagnosis, but Scott expressed confidence in returning to the bullpen at some point this season. At this moment, he joins a list of high-impact relievers who are currently inactive, including Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol, and Evan Phillips, who underwent Tommy John surgery that will prevent him from playing for the rest of the season. Ben Casparius also left the game with a right calf injury and will undergo an MRI on Wednesday morning. Before leaving, Casparius allowed three walks and a double to the four batters he faced. Alexis Diaz, limited the damage after that, but allowed two inherited runners to score. Will Klein and Henriquez, two right-handers with great power but with irregular control, were in charge of the seventh inning. Klein struck out the first batter, then loaded the bases and left the game. Two pitches later, Henriquez committed the three-run error that gave the Twins a 9-5 lead and practically sealed the game. The Dodgers’ bullpen has had the heaviest workload in the majors, due to injuries in the starting rotation. They have accumulated 450 2/3 innings. The Chicago White Sox, in second place, have only accumulated 405. However, their performance has not been as expected. The Dodgers’ relievers rank 24th in the majors in ERA (4.41), WHIP (1.35), and opponents’ OPS (.748).This must be the background.
Dave Roberts, Dodgers manager
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes expressed a similar sentiment before the game. Treinen should return before the end of July, Kopech is expected to do so at the end of August, Graterol is ready to be an addition at the end of the season, and Scott and Kirby, the team’s two big acquisitions in the offseason, should improve. That is the hope.Things are going to change.
Tanner Scott
The Dodgers will seek high-impact relievers in the coming week to give Roberts more formidable options until the bullpen recovers its health. Outside of Yates and Vesia, the options have become notably scarce. It’s difficult. These are the players we have now, and they are getting opportunities to make an impression. So that’s up to them. When you have certain players out, they put you in pressure situations, bases loaded, no outs, whatever, you have to come in and do your job. Some do, some don’t.I’d say that if we stay relatively healthy, this group is better than last year’s. Obviously, there’s a lot of time between now and the final stretch, but right now I feel really good about the talent level of this pitching staff.
Brandon Gomes
