Dodgers Position by Position Breakdown: The Bullpen

Over the past two seasons, the Dodgers have relied heavily on a well-enforced bullpen. Dave Roberts, since the onset of his managerial career, has been known for his short leash on starters and the tendency to go to his pen.

For that reason, depth, skill, and trust must be had in these pitchers and the best possible reliever corp must be assembled. This is the pre-spring training breakdown of who’s in, who’s out and who’s on the fence.

Who’s In:

Kenley Jansen:

Let’s start with the obvious and check Kenley Jansen off the list. Jansen has been the NL reliever of the year for two straight seasons and has led all eligible NL relievers in ERA, ERA+, FIP,  WAR, strikeouts, saves and a strikeout to walk ratio. Needless to say, Jansen will be the closer in 2018 and Dodger fans should just enjoy the magic.

Scott Alexander

The Dodgers acquired Alexander from the Royals in the deal that saw Luis Avilan go to the White Sox and Trevor Oaks to the Royals. Alexander was a dominant reliever in 2017 posting the best groundball percentage in all of baseball. His 93 mph sinker, thrown 90.9 percent of the time, is compared to that of Zach Britton, high praise for any relief pitcher. The 28-year-old southpaw is a sure bet to be in the 2018 bullpen and will probably be used as an eighth-inning setup man and a lefty specialist. Alexander’s ability to get outs on both sides of the plate should quickly make him a go-to for Roberts.

Tony Cingrani

Cingrani was acquired at the trade deadline last year for Scott Van Slyke. The former Reds’ starter saw a change last year when he made a full time move to the bullpen and he did not disappoint. Cingrani’s wipeout slider and mid-90s fastball combine to make him a phenomenal lefty specialist. His strikeout abilities should pair very nicely with Scott Alexander’s ground ball prowess to make them a shutdown lefty duo.   

Pedro Baez

I know what you are thinking: why on Earth is Pedro Baez in the lock section? I’ll tell you exactly why he is better than people give him credit for. Bearing any unforeseen roster movement, Baez looks to build off of his incredible first half of the season in 2017. His well under par second half should move him away from high leverage situation but he should still be a great option for middle relief. Like it or not, Baez is going nowhere.

Tom Koehler

Tom Koehler also feels like a given to make the bullpen because the Dodgers signed him to do just that. Koehler’s ability to be a starter and a reliever makes him a valuable asset to a team that uses pitchers like firewood. Koehler’s incentive-laden contract indicates he will spend most of his time in the pen and I also know there are options in front of him to make spot starts when needed. Look for Koehler to provide valuable bullpen innings this year.

Who’s on the fence:

My prediction for the season is the team will carry eight bullpen pitchers. With five locks, these are the people I believe the team will choose from.

Josh Fields

Josh Fields was one of Dave Roberts’ most effective pieces last season. He pitched in 57 games and totaled exactly 57 innings. Over that stretch, Fields had an ERA of 2.84 a WHIP of .965 and an ERA+ of 148. At this point, you are probably wondering why is Fields a maybe. Well, I’ll tell you. Josh Fields, especially towards the end of the season, showed his susceptibility to the home run. Giving up 10 total long balls, Fields, who is fastball dominant, got hit hard. Also concerning is the discrepancy between his ERA and FIP. Fields’ FIP on the season was 4.18 a number well higher than his ERA. With that all being said I would pencil Josh Fields into the rotation but would not call him a lock. A strong spring will bolt down the spot he already has.

Yimi Garcia

Coming off both Tommy John Surgery and some serious shoulder issues, it has been a while since Dodger fans have heard the name, Yimi Garcia. Yimi last pitched in 2016 where he threw just 8.1 innings. Garcia was a key bullpen piece in the two years prior but he still has a lot to prove after being out of the game for so long. The Dodgers have made it clear that Yimi will factor into the team’s plans this year it just remains to be seen how early in the season he will make that impact.

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Adam Liberatore

Adam Liberatore was quietly one of the Dodgers best relievers in 2016. But, like Yimi Garcia, Adam Liberatore had an injury-plagued 2017 where he threw just 17 innings between the major and minor leagues. If Liberator can prove himself in spring, there is no reason to think he cannot land a spot in the bullpen but he too will have a lot to prove.

Ross Stripling*

Ross Stripling is in an interesting position on my list and I will explain why. Last year, Stripling served as the team’s long reliever and was effective in that role. He threw the most innings among all Dodger relievers and also made a couple spot starts in which he was spotless. But, Dave Roberts made it clear at FanFest that Stripling would work out like a starting pitcher in spring training as the team would use him in the event of an injury. This leads me to believe that if everyone stays healthy, Stripling would resume his role in long relief. The only reason I have Ross on the maybe list is because I just do not know what role he will fill to start the season. Lock Stripling in for a major league spot just waiting to see exactly what he will be doing.

Next: Part-time beast mode in 2018?

As it stands right now, the Dodgers have an endless amount of options to fill the bullpen. I will continue to keep this article updated as spring training progresses. But, as of now, this is where I believe the bullpen stands.