MILWAUKEE -- The Dodgers’ bullpen accomplished something so rare that no Dodgers team in the last 137 years -- not even a single one of the franchise’s nine World Series title clubs -- has been able to touch. And it’s not over.
Los Angeles extended its scoreless streak out of the ’pen to 36 innings with four scoreless frames during an 11-3 win over the Brewers on Saturday night at American Family Field.
It’s the Dodgers’ longest stretch since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, and the longest by any bullpen since Cleveland in 2017 (38 2/3 innings).
This stretch has spanned 11 games, beginning in the eighth inning on May 12, and has involved 12 different pitchers. The Dodgers are 8-3 during the run and have outscored opponents 61-18 since it began.
“Every night you try to prevent runs on the back end and keep us in the ballgame or preserve a lead,” manager Dave Roberts said. “... It’s just guys taking the baseball and doing their job when called upon. [Bullpen coach] Josh Bard and [assistant pitching coach] Connor McGuiness do a great job with the culture piece of it.
“They’re on a heater. It’s one of those things where when it doesn’t go well, they get the blame. And when it does go well, they don’t get a lot of credit. But they are getting the credit now, and it’s earned. Really happy for those guys. We spread those innings pretty well with a lot of different arms.”
The stretch has included innings from the following:
- Edgardo Henriquez (5 1/3 IP, five appearances)
- Kyle Hurt (5 IP, five appearances)
- Alex Vesia (4 2/3 IP, five appearances)
- Tanner Scott (4 1/3 IP, four appearances)
- Blake Treinen (3 2/3 IP, four appearances)
- Jonathan Hernández (2 IP, two appearances)
- Will Klein (2 IP, two appearances)
- Paul Gervase (2 IP, one appearance)
- Wyatt Mills (2 IP, two appearances)
- Jack Dreyer (2 IP, two appearances)
- Charlie Barnes (2 IP, two appearances)
- Chayce McDermott (1 IP, one appearance)
A number of those relievers are either in the Minor Leagues now or on the injured list, which speaks not only to the pitching depth in the Dodgers’ organization but also to how difficult it is to extend a streak like this with so many individuals and the situations that they stepped onto the mound to face.
“I think regardless of who comes into a ballgame, they have the confidence now to go up and put up a zero,” Roberts said. “And it makes my life easier because you trust a lot more guys, and that’s what these guys have earned.”
There’s reason to believe they’ll be better, too. The Dodgers are doing this without All-Star closer Edwin Díaz, who has been out since April 20 due to loose bodies in his right elbow. But since his departure, the Dodgers lead the Majors in bullpen ERA (2.21) and are second to Miami in opponents’ batting average vs. the bullpen (.187). Hurt has taken on the biggest load, tossing 14 straight scoreless innings (including working around two baserunners in Saturday’s win) dating to April 19, when he entered after Díaz faced four batters without recording an out.
Los Angeles also led MLB in reliever ERA (2.90) after Saturday’s game, which will be just another thing opposing teams have to fear as the first-place Dodgers go for a historic three-peat.
“In 2024 they helped us a lot, ’25 too, and this year is not going to be different,” said Teoscar Hernández, who tied a career high for the fourth time with six RBIs Saturday night. “They’re built for this and they’re ready for it.”