FRIDAY’S GAME : Where Would Dodgers Be Without Worrell? Don’t Ask

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda grimaces contemplating the thought, but after watching closer Todd Worrell perform this season, he hates to imagine the team’s fate without him.

Certainly, it’s difficult to imagine the Dodgers would be vying for the division title without him.

Worrell increased his franchise save record to 30 games Friday night in a 6-5 victory over the San Diego Padres. It’s the fourth-highest total of Worrell’s career and is 11 more saves than he produced the last five years combined.

“The guy’s been unbelievable,” Lasorda said. “I don’t even want to think where we’d be without him.”

Perhaps the key to Worrell’s season was when he worked out this spring with Dodger pitching coach Dave Wallace and Sandy Koufax, who convinced him he should start throwing a curveball.

“He needed an off-speed pitch,” Wallace said, “and look at what he’s done with it.”