One of the fascinating shifts that occurred at the MLB trade deadline this season was that high-leverage relief pitchers were more in demand than controllable starting pitchers. There are several factors behind that trend, including that the price for pitchers like Edward Cabrera, Joe Ryan, and MacKenzie Gore was incredibly high. The other reason is that the Los Angeles Dodgers proved last season that the World Series can be won with bullpen games.
Gone are the days when the expectation is that your postseason rotation can get you into the seventh inning. Now, the goal may be for a postseason starting pitcher to get a team through the fifth inning before turning things over to the bullpen.