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The Los Angeles Dodgers are in familiar territory with the playoffs less than two weeks away. They are once again looking for answers in their bullpen. The Dodgers have placed Edgardo Henriquez on the IL with lower back discomfort, and he has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season.
Henriquez has been placed on the 15-day IL, but there remains a path for him returning during the playoffs if all goes well. While the Dodgers made Edwin Diaz a priority this past offseason, it has been Henriquez who has kept the bullpen together.
Through 61 appearances, Henriquez had a 2.85 ERA while striking out over 29% of the hitters he's faced. If he's unable to return to LA's bullpen during the playoffs, the unit is suddenly facing a problem.
Edgardo Henriquez injury leaves Dodgers facing reality they desperately wanted to avoid
While the Dodgers have a healthy amount of left-handed options in the bullpen — considering Tanner Scott once again becoming an effective option at the end of games — as well as Alex Vesia and Jack Dreyer, they don't really have an established option among righties.
Brock Stewart hasn't looked bad this season, but injuries have limited him to just 22 innings pitched this season. Evan Phillips is back in the bullpen, and while he has 3.68 ERA through 27 appearances, his FIP of 4.65 makes him a regression candidate ahead of the playoffs.
It also doesn't help matters that the Dodgers aren't viewing the return of Diaz as a potential solution. He is currently on a minor-league rehab assignment, but the results simply haven't been there. It's forced Dave Roberts to offer a blunt assessment on Diaz earlier this week, suggesting there's a chance he's left off the playoff roster if he can't overcome his current struggles.
That is why Henriquez's injury is such a blow. He was a clear answer for what the Dodgers lacked in the bullpen, and coupling that with Diaz's struggles, Roberts and Co. are back at the drawing board. Perhaps Kris Bubic could be an answer. Bubic is with the Dodgers after a successful rehab assignment earlier this month and is expected to be reinstated from the IL in the coming days.
If there is a silver lining for the Dodgers, outside of Shohei Ohtani, their starting rotation is healthy and that could ultimately prove to be the difference-maker during the playoffs.
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