Dodgers Dugout: Is this the Dodgers’ worst pitching team ever? Yes.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. What happened to that big ball of fire that used to be in the sky? Haven’t seen it in days.

Remember the good old days of yesteryear (actually, almost every year before this one), when the Dodgers had one of the top pitching staffs in baseball, both starting and relief?

The Dodgers have three reliable starting pitchers: Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller and Tony Gonsolin. And Gonsolin has trouble pitching past the fifth inning and needed an extra day off because he didn’t recover well from his previous start. That doesn’t sound good.

As for the bullpen, let’s look at their ERAs for the last 14 days (courtesy of baseball-reference.com):

Justin Bruihl, 0.00 (in the minors)
Andre Jackson, 0.00 (in the minors)
Adam Kolarek, 0.00 (one game)
Brusdar Graterol, 1.80 (9 hits in 5 IP)
Yency Almonte, 2.25
Shelby Miller, 2.25 (on bereavement list)
Victor González, 3.00
Tayler Scott, 4.15
Alex Vesia, 4.50
Evan Phillips, 8.10
Nick Robertson, 9.00
Caleb Ferguson, 15.75
Phil Bickford, 18.00 (on the IL)

That’s terrible.

The Dodgers’ team ERA is 4.49 — that’s 22nd in baseball. The starters’ ERA is 4.29 — that’s 15th. The bullpen ERA is 4.75— that’s 27th. The only three teams with a worse bullpen ERA are Kansas City (4.86), Washington (4.92) and Oakland (5.95). Those are the three worst teams in the majors.

So what’s the answer?

There isn’t one. There aren’t a lot of great relievers ready in the minors. You can’t trade for eight new relievers. They should get Daniel Hudson back in a couple of weeks, which should help, but he’s been out for a year so you can’t be too sure yet. You have to figure that guys like Phillips will regain their form soon.

A lot of fans have been critical of Dave Roberts and his handling of the pitching. And I’ve often been critical of this too. It’s his weakest point as a manager. But there are times you can’t blame him. If he makes the right move and the pitcher gets bombed, that’s not on Roberts. If he brings Phillips in to start the eighth inning because the opponent has the heart of their lineup coming to bat, that’s a good move. I’d rather have Phillips face the 3-4-5 hitters than the 6-7-8 hitters. If Phillips then fails, that’s not on Roberts.

My issue with Roberts is, well, let’s take last Tuesday’s game as an example. The Dodgers are leading the Reds 8-6. He brings in Phillips to pitch the eighth, facing three of the Reds’ best hitters. Phillips retires them in order. In an ideal world, Phillips would pitch the ninth, but that world doesn’t exist. That doesn’t happen anymore. The decision to usually limit a pitcher to an inning was made well before Roberts became a manager. So, while you can get mad that the Dodgers didn’t bring Phillips back out, it’s not really a Roberts decision.

Roberts brought in Caleb Ferguson to pitch the ninth. In his career, Ferguson has been good at getting left-handed hitters (.211 average) and right-handed hitters (.232 average) out. I didn’t quibble with bringing Ferguson in. But this is where I get lost: It was obvious halfway through the second batter that Ferguson didn’t have it that day. The pitches were up, he was having trouble with the mound, he looked uncomfortable. He has to pitch to three batters, so get someone up right away and get him out as soon as possible. But no, Ferguson was left in there for SIX batters. And this is what they did: Walk, single, pop out, walk, walk, hit by pitch. Then Roberts pulled Ferguson, after the tying run had scored. He brought in Shelby Miller with the bases loaded. Single, game over.

Analytics are great. As readers know, we use them all the time in this newsletter. They can tell you a lot. But they aren’t a substitute for what is happening right in front of you. Some days a pitcher just won’t have it. And it’s usually obvious pretty quickly. Don’t leave those pitchers in there any longer than you have to. That’s not second guessing. Bringing Ferguson in to start the inning wasn’t the problem, and bringing Miller in to start the inning might have led to the same result. But when everyone watching can see it’s not Ferguson’s day, then a mistake has been made. And this is a season where the Dodgers aren’t going to get 111 victories and win the NL West by 20 games. Every win is going to count. Games can’t be given away. And it seems the Dodgers have given away more than one victory this season by not watching what’s going on right in front of them.

But why do I say this is their worst pitching team ever?

The worst team ERAs since the Dodgers moved to L.A.:

2023 Dodgers, 4.49
1958 Dodgers, 4.47 (Final record: 71-83)
1999 Dodgers, 4.45 (77-85)
2005 Dodgers, 4.38 (71-91)
2001 Dodgers, 4.25 (86-76)
2006 Dodgers, 4.23 (88-74)
2007 Dodgers, 4.20 (82-80)
1994 Dodgers, 4.17 (58-56)
2000 Dodgers, 4.10 (86-76)
1961 Dodgers, 4.04 (89-65)

Last season’s team had the fourth-best team ERA in L.A. history at 2.80.

Worst bullpen ERAs since the Dodgers moved to L.A.:

2023, 4.76
1958, 4.74
2001, 4.70
1994, 4.69
2005, 4.42
1999, 4.37
1995, 4.22
1979, 4.17
1961, 4.15
2006, 4.12

Bobbymania?

Millermania? Whatever you want to call it, Bobby Miller is putting up numbers reminiscent of Fernando Valenzuela after his first four starts of the season. Let’s compare the two after their first four starts.

Miller: 23 IP, 12 hits, two ER, seven walks, 23 K’s, 0 CG’s, 0.78 ERA
Fernando: 36 IP, 21 hits, one ER, 7 walks, 36 K’s, 4 CG’s, 0.25 ERA

Fernando’s numbers are better, but Miller has been great. At some point, word will get around the league about any weaknesses he may have, but let’s hope that takes a while. The Dodgers need him right now.

There are two other Los Angeles pitchers who had ERA’s below 1.00 after the first four starts of their career:

Kenta Maeda: 25 1/3 IP, 17 hits, one ER, five walks, 23 K’s, 0 CGs, 0.36 ERA

Pedro Astacio: 31 IP, 25 hits, nine walks, 20 K’s, 2 CG’s, 0.87 ERA

These names look familiar

How members of the 2022 Dodgers who are now with other teams are doing this season (through Sunday). Tap on the name of the player to be taken to their full stats.

Batters

Hanser Alberto, White Sox: released by Chicago last week

Eddy Alvarez, Brewers: in the minors

Cody Bellinger, Cubs: .271/.337/.493, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 7 homers, 124 OPS+, on the 10-day IL because of a knee injury

Joey Gallo, Twins: .188/.321/.478, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 11 homers, 120 OPS+, on the 10-day IL

Jake Lamb, Angels: .216/.259/.353, 1 double, 2 homers, 67 OPS+, in the minors

Zach McKinstry, Tigers: .253/.354/.398, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 110 OPS+

Kevin Pillar, Braves: .273/.301/.534, 5 doubles, 6 homers, 119 OPS+

Edwin Ríos, Cubs: .071/.235/.214, 1 double, 1 homer, 25 OPS+, on the 10-day IL

Justin Turner, Red Sox: .265/.347/.416, 12 doubles, 8 homers, 106 OPS+

Trea Turner, Phillies: .248/.290/.396, 15 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, 88 OPS+

Tony Wolters, Twins: in the minors

Pitchers

Tyler Anderson, Angels: 3-1, 5.62 ERA, 57.2 IP, 64 hits, 28 walks, 38 K’s

Garrett Cleavinger, Rays: on the 60-day IL

Andrew Heaney, Rangers: 4-4, 4.14 ERA, 63 IP, 52 hits, 27 walks, 65 K’s

Heath Hembree, Tigers: in the minors

Tommy Kahnle, Yankees: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4 IP, 2 hits, 1 walk, 3 K’s

Craig Kimbrel, Phillies: 4-1, 5.04 ERA, 25 IP, 17 hits, 13 walks, 39 K’s, 9 saves

Chris Martin, Red Sox: 1-1, 2.29 ERA, 19.2 IP, 17 hits, 2 walks, 16 K’s, 1 save

Reyes Moronta, Angels: in the minors

David Price, retired

Mitch White, Blue Jays: 0-0, 10.80 ERA, 1.2 IP, 3 hits, 0 walks, 4 K’s

What Vin Scully meant to me

Last season, after Vin Scully died, I asked readers to send in what he meant to them. I ran them the rest of the season and wanted to circle back and run the rest, which will take a few weeks at least. If you wish to contribute (if you sent it to me last season, I still have it, so no need to send again), please email it to [email protected] and put Vin Scully in the subject line.

From William Huerta of Santa Clarita: Overwhelming how many other people have described the feelings I’ve had my whole life (I’m 64, born just when the Dodgers came out west) about Vin Scully. My first memory is listening to him calling the Dodger games when I would go to bed at night. I distinctly remember being at Dodger Stadium as a kid and hearing his radio call of the game echoing throughout the stadium. Probably the first ever “Surroundsound” system!

Vin helped me get through the Nick Adenhart tragedy. It really affected me, imaging what his parents were going through. Vin Scully: “And if there is one thing I’ve learned in all my years: Don’t waste your time trying to figure life out.” I have used that thought many times during times in my own life since.

I was fortunate to attend his speech at the Ronald Reagan Library a few years back. He was sharing the story about Don Bankhead and Jackie Robinson. He brought me back in time, into the Dodgers clubhouse in Ebbets Field. I felt like I was actually sitting there in the room watching all this take place. I’ve missed him dearly, but as he said in one of his retirement speeches, that we will move on. I’m actually even starting to like Joe Davis.

From Stan Westfall: Vin Scully started my lifelong journey as a Dodger fan. I started listening to baseball games when the Dodgers moved to L.A. when I was in junior high. I had to have a tooth pulled in the afternoon by the dentist and my Dad took me to my first Dodger game in the Coliseum that evening. Listening to the game on my transistor radio, Wally Moon hit a Vin Scully-described “Moon Shot” home run over the left field fence. The way Scully described it and the entire game, I was hooked.

Before the game started, a player running in right field near the fence picked up a loose ball and threw a line drive to the catcher. It was amazing. I looked up the player’s name and it was Don Drysdale.

Listened to many baseball games on Armed Forces Radio while stationed overseas. Vin Scully was the best of all the announcers by far.

Up next

Tuesday: Chicago White Sox (Lance Lynn, 4-6, 6.72 ERA) at Dodgers (Tony Gonsolin, 3-1, 2.21 ERA), 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Wednesday: Chicago White Sox (Mike Clevinger, 3-4, 4.19 ERA) at Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, 8-4, 2.95 ERA), 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Thursday: Chicago White Sox (Dylan Cease, 3-3, 4.38 ERA) at Dodgers (Michael Grove, 0-2, 8.28 ERA), 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

Dodgers seek bullpen improvements, but not necessarily a designated closer

Where does top prospect Diego Cartaya fit into the Dodgers’ future plans?

Agoura High’s Jonny DeLuca is poised to complete journey from Dodgers fan to starter

How Dodgers’ James Outman, Miguel Vargas have navigated growing pains of rookie season

And finally

Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider talk about facing Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. Watch and listen here.