Dodgers: The Big Problem With the Dodgers’ Bullpen

Last night, the Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts sent the oft-beleaguered Pedro Baez in to face the 3-4-5 spots in the heart of the Boston Red Sox order at Fenway Park.

Dodgers’ reliever Pedro Baez had two strikes on shortstop Xander Boagearts before he smacked a home run just over the Green Monster, and he only got to throw one pitch to the powerful Dodger Killer J.D. Martinez, a pitch which was promptly sent to the opposite field 406 away for a home run. Just like that, the game was tied and a series victory was in danger.

Dodger Twitter erupted with frustrations aimed at Roberts, at Andrew Friedman, at the Red Sox for besting their bullpen yet again.

It didn’t get any better from there. After working through the rest of the 8th inning without a blemish, Zach Rosscup and Yimi Garcia were brought in to preserve the tie in the bottom of the ninth. And they did so well that Kenley Jansen had to be brought in with one out in the inning and runners on first and second to preserve the tie.

Regardless of the result from this point on (Jansen bailed out his teammates by striking out Xander Boagearts on a piped fastball to end the inning), this was not the fault of Roberts. He did the best with what he had. Literally. On the ESPN broadcast, Matt Vassgersian told the audience how before the game, Roberts called Baez his favorite bridge to Kenley Jansen.

My first reaction: “WHAT?!?!”

I understand that Baez has proven worthy of the innings he has been given. I’ve written as much. But when Pedro Baez, the same Pedro Baez who within the last two seasons has been left off of postseason rosters and has been the bane of many Dodger fans’ existence during his struggles, is who Roberts trusts THE MOST out of his entire bullpen. Well, then you know that the Dodgers are in trouble.

The Dodgers should not have had to throw Baez into the fire. The 3-4-5 bats in the reigning World Series Champion Boston Red Sox order in the bottom of the eighth inning of a tie game. They should be able to plug in an elite reliever, plain and simple. And that sort of elite reliever should not be that hard to acquire. Plus, it really wouldn’t be out of character for the Dodgers under Friedman.

I’ll get into the cost and the likelihood in the rest of this piece, as well as a few relievers the Dodgers should target. (HINT: They’re not going to be cheap and they’re not going to be anything less than studs.)