'All hands on deck': Dodgers using bullpen game as they eye WS berth?

LOS ANGELES -- With their lack of starting pitching options, the Dodgers entered the postseason knowing that they were going to lean on their bullpen heavily. The unit was the team’s biggest strength throughout the regular season.

So far this postseason, the Dodgers have done just that. Instead of going with a traditional fourth starter behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler, the club has utilized bullpen games.

Their first try at a bullpen game worked to perfection. As they faced elimination against the Padres in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, the Dodgers opted against using one of their top starters pitching on short rest. Instead, manager Dave Roberts used eight pitchers to shut out San Diego to keep Los Angeles' season alive.

“Doing it at that time on a big stage like that in an elimination game, it shows that we’re braced to do it at any point,” said Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips. “And I think we’ve kind of built up that confidence and that equity in bullpen games over the course of the past few seasons.”

In Game 2 of the NL Championship Series against the Mets, the Dodgers tried to run a similar playbook. This time, however, they were without left-hander Alex Vesia, one of their biggest pieces, and had to turn to Landon Knack much earlier than they wanted to. Knack allowed five runs in the second inning en route to a 7-3 loss. The bullpen game blew up before it started.

For Sunday’s Game 6, the Dodgers will try it again. It’ll be their third bullpen game of the postseason, and they’re hoping it works out a lot more like the first time they trotted out the plan.

“Similar to what we did in Game 2 with the expectation of better execution,” said Roberts. “How we use the guys, I’m not sure yet. A lot of it is dedicated on how they construct the lineup. But it’s an all hands on deck situation. And that’s how I’ll look at it tomorrow.”

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The Dodgers are still working through their options for an opener. Ryan Brasier has done it in both bullpen games, but the veteran right-hander allowed a leadoff homer to Francisco Lindor in Game 2 and didn’t look nearly as sharp as he did against San Diego.

Brasier, though, has been one of the team’s most reliable relievers this season and could be tasked with getting another crack at opening the game. Left-hander Anthony Banda also has experience in the role and could get things started, especially if Brandon Nimmo is hitting second or third in the Mets’ lineup.

What happens behind the opener, however, is what remains a big mystery for the Dodgers. Though Roberts said the team plans to use a similar strategy to Game 2, he also added that it doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll use Knack the same way, or at all.

“I think we can be a little bit more aggressive,” Roberts said.

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That aggressiveness will be contingent on what happens in the first few innings. If the Dodgers can take an early lead, they’ll likely deploy their high-leverage relievers earlier in the game and perhaps for multiple innings. Because of the blowouts in the series, Michael Kopech, Blake Treinen and Phillips -- the three best relievers on the team -- have only pitched once against the Mets and could be used for multiple innings.

“Given where we’re at today with the off-day and talking about tomorrow, I think a few of them,” Roberts said, when asked how many relievers would be available for more than three outs. “They’ll do whatever is asked of them, for sure. But obviously the game situation certainly matters. If it’s a victory formation, we’ll do whatever it takes.”

In the case the Dodgers don’t take an early lead, that’s where things get a little trickier. They’ll then have to balance going all-in on Game 6 or saving bullets for a potential Game 7 on Monday. With Knack’s struggles in Game 2, Los Angeles could lean on Ben Casparius for multiple innings instead.

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A lot will be determined as the game goes on. That’s the tricky part of doing bullpen games, especially when the Dodgers are missing one of their best relievers in Vesia. But they believe they’ll have more than enough to pop champagne at some point over the next 48 hours.

“We’re covered with preventing runs,” Roberts said. “Absolutely.”