"Before you think you know where this is going, you don't. Roberts was much maligned for bringing in Blake Treinen to begin the ninth inning with a 4-1 lead. Treinen of the 11.57 ERA in September and a guy who looks nothing like the guy the Dodgers leaned on during their 2024 championship run. And yet, I was perfectly fine with Roberts going to Treinen in that situation."
"In this 5-game series, the Dodgers have been able to deploy more starters out of the bullpen than normal. If they get to the National League Championship Series and beyond, that strategy is going to change. And part of that change includes trusting relievers. Sure, Clayton Kershaw is down there, but this is his swan song, and he isn't going out as the starting pitcher we all have adored over the last 18 years."
Game 2 of the National League Division Series finished 4-3 after a tense ninth inning that hinged on managerial bullpen choices. Dave Roberts brought in Blake Treinen to start the ninth despite Treinen's poor September numbers, a move grounded in a series-long strategy of deploying starters out of the bullpen. That approach depends on trusting relievers as the postseason progresses and penetrating innings shrink. Treinen surrendered a Bohm single, a legitimate Realmuto double and Nick Castellanos' two-run double that cut the lead. A potential tag by Tommy Edman and a defensive wheel play were pivotal moments during the inning.
Read at Dodgers Digest
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