Dodgers News: Ryan Brasier, Shelby Miller Confident in LA Bullpen Entering Postseason
The 2023 MLB postseason marks a new challenge for a Dodgers’ pitching staff unlike any before it in the Dave Roberts era.
LA’s pitching staff is defined not by horses in the rotation, but instead a bullpen that’s been revived thanks in large part to midseason acquisition Ryan Brasier.
“The bullpen is shaping up to be a pretty solid part of our team,” Brasier said. “Obviously, we have the arms. Everybody down there has good stuff. You get to the meat of the game and run the guys out there that we have, and I think everybody feels confident in getting wins.”
via Mike Digiovanna, LA Times
Brasier came over from the Red Sox and completely flipped both his individual and the Dodger bullpen’s seasons around upon his arrival in LA.
Since becoming a Dodger, the former Boston reliever tossed nearly 39 innings to the tune of a 0.70 ERA, far among the best in baseball in that span.
Boston’s former bullpen arm isn’t the only confident Dodger reliever headed into October as Shelby Miller also relayed confidence in the unit LA has.
“I think we’ve got a great mixture of righties and lefties and a bunch of different arms,” Miller said. “Yarbs is a lefty who’s different from the others and can go multiple innings. Fergy throws gas, and Vesia is electric. Brasier has been phenomenal, and Joe has one of the most electric arms in the game. Most of us can get lefties and righties out. I think we have a pretty good idea of what it’s gonna look like in October.”
via Mike Digiovanna, LA Times
Miller also has been rock solid upon his return from a lingering neck injury that kept him away from the team from June until early September.
The former starter turned in a great season for Roberts’ pen as the righty struck out 42 batters in as many innings with a sub-2 ERA.
Both veterans have playoff experience in their pasts and know what it takes to get over the hump to reach the World Series.
Miller did so in 2013 while still a St. Louis Cardinal and Brasier accomplished World Series glory as a Red Sox player in 2018.
Now well removed from their past playoff successes, this year’s cast of characters out of the bullpen may have a bigger load to shoulder than any LA team in recent history.
Unable to rely on the services of many Opening Day starters, openers, piggybacks and bullpen days could be the norm in order to navigate a tough postseason.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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