Dodgers successful “bullpening” approach wave of the future in MLB?

@MarkKnudson41

During their inaugural season of 1993, the Colorado Rockies used the services of 25 different pitchers. It was trial and error – with a lot of error – for a first year franchise with no hope of contending for a playoff spot. It wasn’t seen as being at all unusual at the time. Most teams that lose 95 games have more than a few holes in their starting rotation.

During the 2024 season in which they won 98 regular season games and have advanced to the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers have used the services of 40 different pitchers. And as we’ve seen, Manager Dave Roberts isn’t afraid to go into a game knowing it’s going to be a “bullpen game” with as many as six or even eight pitchers involved. Nobody rests in LA.

“Bullpening” isn’t Plan A for any team, certainly not one in contention for a championship. Still, it’s become increasingly common. Both the Dodgers and their World Series counterparts, the New York Yankees, have done it several times during the season and in the postseason. It typically happens when a team’s starting pitching gets depleted through injury or ineffectiveness, leaving a hole in the starting rotation that needs to be filled by several relief pitchers – guys who are used to throwing an inning or maybe two at the most in any single game. That means a lot of pitching changes.

Sometimes it’s a huge advantage for the defensive team being able to show opposing hitters a new arm every time they come to the plate. But on the flip side, it only takes one pitcher having an off day for things to break down. The Dodgers, for example, could have four pitchers all go out and dominate the competition…but if their fifth reliever doesn’t have it that day, it all goes for naught.

So for the Dodgers to do what they’ve done this season – win their division again and roll through the National League playoffs using all these different pitchers…many of whom were only known by those who study the prospects lists – is truly remarkable. They had a streak of 33 consecutive scoreless innings this postseason that was accomplished using 12 different pitchers. It tied the all-time postseason record set by the 1966 Baltimore Orioles, who did it using just four hurlers.

Both the Dodgers and the Yankees want to be able to count on their starting pitchers in this World Series…but both Roberts – who should be the NL Manager of the Year for the way he’s handled all the injuries – and his Yankee counterpart Aaron Boone will still have a quick hook, and won’t be afraid to send in a new arm at any point in the game. If a starter like Garrett Cole or Jack Flaherty – who both have had good postseasons – show even the slightest sign of difficulties – they’re going to get pulled ASAP.

This doesn’t happen much during the regular season of course. Managers have to play the long game, and not over use their bullpen arms. Still, we’re seeing more and more “bullpen” days now, so much so that MLB is looking at the possibility of a rule change that forces starting pitchers to remain in the game through five or six innings, or else the team loses their designated hitter for the rest of the contest.

It would be a shock if Rob Manfred got that one implemented.

It’s more likely that it goes the other way, that managers start using pitchers more interchangeably. In 2013 the Rockies implemented what they called the “piggyback” system with their underaged pitching staff. They went to a four-man starting rotation, with the starter locked in to a maximum of 75 pitches, There was a designated reliever on standby to come it at that point and toss the next few innings. Only after he came out would Manager Jim Tracy go back to more typical bullpen usage.

That Rockies team wasn’t very good regardless of who they used on the mound. But imagine if the Dodgers had a healthy Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, etc, and those guys only had to go three innings or so each time out? Maybe they’d stay healthier?

What if a big league team’s pitchers were pretty much interchangeable? Chicago Cubs Manager Craig Councell, when he was managing the Milwaukee Brewers a few years back, came up with the term “out getters” to describe his pitching staff. Not starters or middle relievers or closers. “Out getters.” He used guys in all sorts of different situations…and won his division.

That approach to pitching – especially if it starts to keep these zillion dollar arms healthier – could be baseball’s future. Perhaps the Dodgers are just ahead of the curve on this?