Column: Who needs Craig Kimbrel? For Dodgers, it’s always a game of next reliever up
The Dodgers cut one of the most distinguished relief pitchers in baseball history from their roster Tuesday. Los Angeles responded with a shrug.
When Dodgers manager Dave Roberts met with reporters before the National League Division Series opener against the San Diego Padres, the first question was not about eight-time All-Star Craig Kimbrel. Neither was the second question, nor the third, nor the fourth.
Granted, the breaking news was not shocking. With 12 games left in the regular season, the Dodgers had told Kimbrel he would no longer close. But the nonchalant reaction Tuesday was a tribute to a decade of Dodgers excellence, not only on the field but in the front office as well.
“A lot of times on a lot of teams,” Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said before the Dodgers’ 5-3 win over the Padres on Tuesday, “you lose one guy and the thought is probably, ‘Oh, how are we going to fill that void?’
“It’s never really been that way here.”
A lot of times on a lot of teams, the high-paid star gets too long a leash, either by virtue of his salary, or because the team cannot afford to replace him, whether because of a lean wallet or lean depth.
After missing the 2021 playoffs because of injury, Clayton Kershaw is excited to help play a part in the Dodgers’ quest to win a World Series title.
The Dodgers do not do “lean,” in anything. They will pay $42 million this season to five relievers not on their NLDS roster. The Oakland Athletics committed $48 million to their entire opening day roster.
The Dodgers will pay $16 million apiece this season to Kimbrel and David Price. The total of $32 million is more than the $23 million they will pay the nine relievers on their NLDS roster.
The Dodgers did not need Kimbrel when they traded for him at the end of spring training. The Chicago White Sox, with one closer too many and one outfielder too few, floated the idea of swapping salary by trading him for Cody Bellinger. The Dodgers agreed to trade AJ Pollock.
If Kimbrel worked out, great. If not, the Dodgers had options. Under Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers always have options.
As the NLDS started, the Dodgers had no defined closer. Blake Treinen is on the roster, but he has not pitched since Sept. 5, and he has pitched two innings since April 14. So the Dodgers have no defined setup man, either.
They also have no worries. They led the NL in bullpen earned-run average. Fourteen months after the 110-loss Baltimore Orioles cut the unheralded Evan Phillips, the Dodgers’ pregame news release Tuesday included this line: “Evan Phillips was the backbone of the bullpen.”
On Tuesday, with Juan Soto and Manny Machado due up for a third time, Phillips was the first man out of the bullpen. Soto and Machado reached base, but Phillips nonetheless pitched a scoreless sixth inning by inducing a one-out double play.
Alex Vesia worked a scoreless seventh, and Vesia and Brusdar Graterol combined for a scoreless eighth. Chris Martin earned the save with a scoreless ninth.
This is not just about the money. Phillips, Vesia, and Graterol all are making $720,000 this season. Two came viatrade, one on a waiver claim, none through free agency. You might see any or all three in the ninth inning of this series.
Dustin May and Andrew Heaney are starters by trade. Yency Almonte was cast off by the Colorado Rockies. The Dodgers acquired Martin for a utilityman and signed Tommy Kahnle as he rehabilitated from Tommy John surgery.
“I just don’t think teams can compare with the arm talent we have,” Roberts said.
“Yeah, we don’t have that dedicated closer, but … [we have] a lot of good players that are just not afraid of the moment. I trust them all. Yeah, it’s not kind of the standard or, whatever, conventional, but I feel confident in whoever we’re going to run out there in the ninth inning.”
Julio Urías earned his place as a Game 1 starter, but he had uneven performance against the Padres and must deliver more for the Dodgers this postseason.
Nothing breeds confidence like success, and the Dodgers won the World Series two years ago this way. In their championship run, with Kenley Jansen managed carefully amid his struggles, five pitchers earned saves.
“I don’t think it’s uncertainty for us,” said Clayton Kershaw, who starts Wednesday for the Dodgers. “I think we just do the jobs we’re supposed to do. We’ve got a lot of guys that can do a lot of jobs really well.”
There are no guarantees, with an All-Star closer or even with a reigning Cy Young award winner. The latter would be Robbie Ray, whom the Seattle Mariners asked to retire the final batter of their American League Division Series opener Tuesday. Ray gave up a walkoff home run, and the Houston Astros danced off.
For the Dodgers, the big dance started Tuesday with nine relief arms. None had 394 career saves. The one with nine career saves got the ninth, and the save.
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