3 puzzling decisions that ended Dodgers’ 2022 season too early

2. Pulling Tyler Anderson Too Early

5-3 was the score du jour in this series — the only one of the four games to not end with that final was the edge-of-your-seat Game 3, won 2-1 by the Padres.

In that game, Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin was ticketed for just 75 pitches or so coming off an injury, and in fact lasted far less than that, yanked after just 42 pitches and 1.1 very difficult innings. That left LA’s bullpen all hands on deck for the remainder of the game, and they did an astounding job as a group, holding the fort there for a Dodgers comeback that never came.

It also meant that the bullpen was especially exhausted for Game 4, expounding boundless energy on the fruitless pursuit of victory the night before.

Did the bullpen’s effort pre-doom the Dodgers the next night? Who’s to say? Regardless, the Dodgers rested their full faith in fellow All-Star Tyler Anderson, then yanked him too after just five brilliant two-hit innings and 86 pitches.

How much further could Anderson have gone with a 2-0 lead? Probably one more inning, setting up Yency Almonte, Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips to take it home.

Instead, the Dodgers went with …