Very rarely do you have a contender that has such a clear hole like this year’s iteration of the Dodgers. They’re in the top 10 in baseball in nearly every offensive category, and their starting rotation has compiled a sparkling 3.76 ERA to go along with the second-best strikeout rate in all of baseball.
And then there’s the bullpen.
The Dodgers’ bullpen entered play on Thursday with a 4.24 ERA (which was tied for the ninth-worst mark in baseball) to go along with 33 losses and 25 blown saves.
And while no bullpen is ever going to be perfect, it’s the kind of glaring black hole that seemed primed for some kind of big meltdown when the postseason gets here.