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Dodgers: Five Positive Takeaways from the First Two Weeks of the Season

By Cesar Becerra

Apr 17, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Enrique Hernandez (14) is congratulated by manager Dave Roberts (center) and bench coach Bob Geren (right) for hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 17, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Enrique Hernandez (14) is congratulated by manager Dave Roberts (center) and bench coach Bob Geren (right) for hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal (9) talks with Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Grant Dayton (75) in between pitches against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning of game two of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

Bullpen

The bullpen is the best bullpen in all of baseball. Through the first two weeks, the Dodgers’ bullpen has a league leading 1.9 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) rating. The bullpen owns a team ERA of 1.33, which is second to only the New York Yankees.

It’s no secret the Dodgers were planning on utilizing the bullpen to their fullest this season. With a lot of question marks surrounding the starting rotation, the bullpen was one of the few things Dave Roberts didn’t have to worry about. The bullpen has pitched 54 ⅓ and has a 10.93 K/9 ratio.

The team has a misleading 1-2 record, but that doesn’t reflect their performance to start the season. Pedro Baez, Grant Dayton, Alex Wood, Josh Fields, and Luis Avilan have all combined for 25 scoreless innings in relief to start the season. There are only two relievers in the ‘pen that currently have an ERA above 3.00 and oddly enough it’s our backend of the bullpen, Sergio Romo, 3.60 and Kenley Jansen 3.00.

We expect better performances from our closer and platooned set-up man so if they start throwing shutout innings, look out!

The bullpen has repeatedly been asked to enter the game in the early innings of the game. But up to this point have answered the bell every time. It’d be good to have our starters go a little deeper in games to give the bullpen some rest. I’d be worried if this pace continues that the bullpen would be overworked come the second half of the season.

Roberts has a quick trigger and knows how to manage his bullpens. Itis good to have multiple lefty options and multiple long relief guys out of the bullpen.

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