"You look at our 'pen, there's a confidence thing right now that they've got to get over. That's pretty much everyone included. So trying to figure out where the best place to put a guy, because the sixth inning in a tie ballgame with the top of the order, could be a high-leverage situation. So you've got to kind of figure out what constitutes leverage, high leverage, and also the alternative."
"That's exactly right, and Kirby Yates is the same thing. These are the guys that we signed off on, we believe in. And not to say that you've got to have blind faith forever. I understand that. But you're talking about winning 11 games in October - getting there obviously - and guys that you can trust in that hot box of moments."
Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen entered the season with expectations of strength but has underperformed, ranking 19th in ERA (4.19), 21st in WHIP (1.34) and 23rd in opponents' batting average (.249). Injuries to the starting rotation forced the bullpen into a heavy workload, totaling 583.2 innings, the most in baseball. High-profile additions Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, along with Blake Treinen, have struggled. Scott and Yates are in their first season after signing lucrative contracts. The club is reconfiguring the bullpen, emphasizing reliever confidence, clearer definitions of leverage, and continued trust in experienced, talented pitchers who earn opportunities.
Read at Dodger Blue
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