nohit

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Don Stanhouse would have been a perfect fit for this bullpen.

The big news this week (besides the continuing collapse of the bullpen, which barely qualifies as news anymore): Shohei Ohtani removed after five innings while pitching a no-hitter. He was replaced by Justin Wrobleski to start the sixth with the Dodgers leading the Phillies 4-0. Wrobleski had not given up a run this month. He gave up five in the sixth inning. Whoops.

This was followed by fans on social media and a certain newsletter writer’s inbox to complain about Dave Roberts, how he doesn’t know how to handle a bullpen and how he needs to be fired for general incompetence. The fired part is silly, so we will ignore that. But did Roberts mishandle the situation?

If you were mad about it, ask yourself this: Would you have been mad if the Dodgers had won 6-0, or 6-2? If not, you aren’t mad that he caused Ohtani to miss out on a no-hitter, you are mad the Dodgers lost. Let’s reexamine the situation.

—Ohtani is coming off of his second Tommy John surgery and the Dodgers have been very careful with him. A couple of weeks ago, they decided, in consultation with Ohtani, that he would not pitch more than five innings the rest of the season.

—Roberts: “He’s two players in one. If something happens, then we lose two players. … We haven’t done it all year. So, I’m not gonna do it tonight.”

—Roberts had Wrobleski ready, and Wrobleski has been his best reliever this month. Who else was he supposed to bring in?

—Even if Roberts had let Ohtani pitch the sixth, there is no way he would have been left in for nine innings to complete a no-hitter. And we don’t know how the cards would have played out if Wrobleski had started the seventh inning instead of the sixth.

—The Dodgers fought back to tie the score, until Blake Treinen gave up a three-run homer in the top of the ninth. The same Treinen who was a stud in last year’s postseason.

—The culprit, as it has been all season, was the bullpen, not Roberts. Please tell me what reliable reliever should have pitched. Wrobleski was the most reliable guy on that day, and he failed. Roberts can’t throw the pitches for them.

—When Roberts calls down to the bullpen, he must be thinking, “How should we die today? Should I choose slow poison? Electric shock?” There are no great options. The bullpen is the problem. You could have the greatest manager in major league history, and it won’t matter if everyone in his bullpen is as unreliable as the Dodger bullpen is at this moment.

So, it’s hard to see what Roberts did wrong here. The anger some have at him is misplaced on this occasion.

Roberts’ biggest weakness has always been his handling of the bullpen, no question about it. But this one wasn’t on him.

A trend?

This isn’t the first time Roberts has removed a pitcher who had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning or beyond. A look (click on the result line to be taken to a box score of the game):

April 8, 2016: Ross Stripling, 7 1/3 no-hit innings against San Francisco in his major league debut

Number of pitches: 100

Stripling was coming off elbow surgery and had walked his fourth batter of the game when, with one out in the eighth, Roberts removed him. Reliever Chris Hatcher gave up a two-run homer to the next batter.

Result: Dodgers lose to Giants, 3-2, in 10 innings.

Roberts quote: “I wanted to see him throw a no-hitter. It’s a special moment. But we’re looking at the long term. We’re looking at the long view. Ross can help us win many more games. If it would have gone south and something would have happened, I would have never been able to live with myself. Because this is this kid’s livelihood. That’s my job.”

Stripling quote: “I have no ill feelings toward the decision one bit. I’m thinking that’s just the right choice.”

Sept. 10, 2016: Rich Hill, seven perfect innings against Miami.

Number of pitches: 89

Wary of exacerbating the blisters that were forming on Hill’s left hand, Roberts removed him after seven perfect innings. Reliever Joe Blanton gives up a hit with two out in the eighth. Blanton, Grant Dayton and Kenley Jansen finish off the shutout.

Result: Dodgers defeat Marlins, 5-0.

Roberts quote: “I’m very, very sensitive to his personal achievements. I really am. But nothing should get in the way, or compromise, our team goal…. I’m going to lose sleep tonight. And I probably should.”

Hill quote: “I get it. I’m very adamant about living in the moment. I did not want to come out of the game.” (Note: Hill was shown slamming a bat into the dugout bench after being told he was coming out). “But I think there’s a bigger picture here, and we all know what it is.”

May 4, 2018: Walker Buehler, six no-hit innings against San Diego

Number of pitches: 93

Buehler had thrown 93 pitches, one shy of his professional high, and was operating under an innings restriction because of Tommy John surgery. Tony Cingrani, Yimi Garcia and Adam Liberatore finished off the no-hitter.

Result: Dodgers defeat Padres, 4-0.

Roberts quote: “He was totally complicit. Just understood where I was coming from, understood where the organization was coming from, what impact he has, how important he is for the organization this year, and going forward.”

Buehler quote: “Obviously, I wanted to keep going. But obviously, it’s above my pay grade. They made the choice. And for these guys to finish it out, it’s pretty cool…. It was the toughest conversation I’ve ever had.”

April 13, 2022: Clayton Kershaw, seven perfect innings against Minnesota

Number of pitches: 80

Coming off an elbow injury the previous season, and with a lockout shortened spring training, Kershaw was on an 80-pitch limit. Alex Vesia gave up a hit with one out in the eighth. Vesia and Justin Bruihl finished off the shutout.

Result: Dodgers defeat Twins, 7-0.

Roberts quote: “There’s a lot of people that are cheering for the Dodgers, not only just for today and Clayton to throw a no-hitter, but for the Dodgers to win the World Series. For us to do that, we need him healthy.”

Kershaw quote: “I knew going in that my pitch count wasn’t going to be 100, let alone 90 or whatever. So I don’t know. It’s a hard thing to do to have to come out of the game when you’re doing that. But we’re here to win and this was the right choice.”

Sept. 16, 2022: Dustin May, five no-hit innings against San Francisco

Number of pitches: 69

May had some arm soreness after his previous start, prompting the team to push back his outing a few days and limit his pitch count. Vesia gave up a hit with two out in the sixth. Vesia, Caleb Ferguson and Phil Bickford finished the shutout.

Result: Dodgers defeat Giants, 5-0.

Roberts quote: “Getting him out of the game, feeling good, is the win. Considering how he threw the baseball the last couple times, building off tonight and [knowing he’s] going on regular rest his next turn, it was the smart decision.”

May quote: “I didn’t even realize I had a no-hitter going.”

June 16, 2023: Emmet Sheehan, six no-hit innings against San Francisco in his major league debut

Number of pitches: 89

Sheehan had been rushed up from double-A to make the start because of injuries. He was averaging fewer than five innings a start in the minors and had never pitched in more than six innings in a game in the minors. He was replaced by Brusdar Graterol, who gave up two runs, then Victor González gave up three runs and Vesia two runs in the loss.

Result: Dodgers lose to Giants, 7-5.

Roberts quote: “I was actually contemplating it after five innings, given the usage he’s had. But where the state of the ‘pen has been, I was trying to squeeze another inning. So to get him through the sixth, I thought was huge.”

Sheehan quote: “To have the Dodger fans and my family behind me, I couldn’t have asked for a better debut. Besides a Dodger win.”

Sept. 21, 2023: Emmet Sheehan, 4 2/3 hitless innings against San Francisco

Number of pitches: 93

It was a tough outing, as Sheehan walked four, hit a batter and gave up a run on a bases-loaded walk. Vesia replaced Sheehan in the fifth, and the first hit was a home run by Joc Pederson off Vesia with one out in the sixth. Shelby Miller, Ryan Brasier, Joe Kelly and Evan Phillips finished off the victory.

Result: Dodgers defeat Giants, 7-2.

Roberts quote: “I think when he got to that fifth inning, there was a little bit of running low on the fuel in the tank, some close misses. … But he pitched a heck of a ballgame.”

Sheehan quote: “I think I definitely build confidence every start.”

Sept. 8, 2025: Tyler Glasnow, seven no-hit innings against Colorado

Number of pitches: 103

Glasnow was pitching for the first time in 10 days because of a sore back. He gave up a run in the second inning on a walk, stolen base, a deep fly ball advancing the runner to third, and a sacrifice fly. He stuck out 11. Blake Treinen pitched a perfect eighth. Tanner Scott gave up a leadoff double in the ninth before getting the save.

Result: Dodgers defeat Rockies, 3-1.

Roberts quote: “I do think that there’s certain times, if [the starters] give me the opportunity as far as efficiency and how their stuff is playing, to push them a little more.”

Glasnow quote: “My pitch count was pretty high. I don’t know how many pitches I was going to be allowed to throw. Obviously I want to stay in, no matter what my pitch count is, but given my, like, track record, I kind of understand why. I respect the decision.”

Sept. 16, 2025: Shohei Ohtani, five no-hit innings against Philadelphia

Number of pitches: 68

Ohtani was limited to five innings because he had his second Tommy John surgery in 2023. He was relieved by Justin Wrobleski, who gave up five runs in the sixth, and Edgardo Henriquez, who gave up a run in the sixth. After scoreless innings by Jack Dreyer and Anthony Banda, Blake Treinen gave up three runs in the ninth.

Result: Dodgers lose to Phillies, 9-6.

Roberts quote: “We’ve been very steadfast in every situation as far as innings for [Ohtani’s] usage — from one inning to two innings to three to four to five. We haven’t deviated from that. He wasn’t going to go back out.”

Ohtani quote: “The decision of whether to take me out is something I leave completely to the manager.”

The postseason

Here’s how the postseason race pans out after Wednesday’s games:

NL
1. Milwaukee, 93-59
2. Philadelphia, 91-62
3. Dodgers, 85-67

Wild-cards
4. Chicago, 88-64
5. San Diego, 83-69
6. New York, 78-74

7. Arizona, 77-76
8. San Francisco, 76-76
9. Cincinnati, 76-76

The Phillies have clinched the AL East title. The Brewers and Cubs have clinched a playoff spot. Washington, Pittsburgh amd Colorado have been eliminated from playoff contention.

AL
1. Toronto, 89-63
2. Detroit, 85-67
3. Houston, 84-69

Wild-cards
4. New York, 85-67
5. Seattle, 83-69
6. Boston, 83-69

7. Cleveland, 80-71
8. Texas, 79-74
9. Kansas City, 76-76

Baltimore, Minnesota, Chicago, the Athletics and the Angels have been eliminated from playoff contention.

The top two teams in each league get a first-round bye. The other four teams in each league play in the best-of-three wild-card round, with No. 3 hosting all three games against No. 6, and No. 4 hosting all three against No. 5.

The division winners are guaranteed to get the top three seeds, even if a wild-card team has a better record.

In the best-of-five second round, No. 1 hosts the No. 4-5 winner and No. 2 hosts the No. 3-6 winner. That way the No. 1 seed is guaranteed not to play a divisional winner until the LCS.

Up next

Thursday: San Francisco (Logan Webb, 14-10, 3.34 ERA) at Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 11-8, 2.66 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Friday: San Francisco (*Robbie Ray, 11-7, 3.50 ERA) at Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, 10-2, 3.53 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Apple TV+, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Saturday: San Francisco (Kai-Wei Teng, 2-4, 6.41 ERA) at Dodgers (Tyler Glasnow, 3-3, 3.06 ERA), 6:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Sunday: San Francisco (TBD) at Dodgers (Emmet Sheehan, 6-3, 3.17 ERA), 1:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

Hernández: If Shohei Ohtani is open to playing in the outfield, the Dodgers have failed him

Plaschke: Dodgers are blowing their bye, and hopes for deep playoff run, thanks to familiar issue

Will Shohei Ohtani boost the bullpen in the playoffs? Dodgers weigh complex options

Q&A: Here’s what’s at stake for the Dodgers over the final two weeks

Shohei Ohtani’s lawyers claim he was victim in Hawaii real estate deal

Shaikin: Why Andrew Friedman’s October test is looming with Dodgers

Can the Dodgers fix their ailing offense? It starts with better health — and team at-bats

And finally

Nineteen years ago today, the Dodgers hit four home runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie San Diego, win it on Nomar Garciaparra‘s home run in the 10th. Watch and listen here.

Until next time…

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

It was a stressful decision. But it shouldn’t have been so consequential.

In the middle of the fifth inning Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani returned to the Dodgers’ dugout after a clean inning of work on the mound. Waiting for him at the top step was manager Dave Roberts, who (according to the SportsNet LA television broadcast) wanted to ask how he was feeling.

With any other pitcher, there would have been no such discussion.

Over his five innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, Ohtani had not given up a hit. He had thrown only 68 pitches. And he was flashing the kind of dominance that would have made a no-hitter feel like a real possibility.

Ohtani, however, is not like any other pitcher.

He is a two-way star, coming off a second career Tommy John surgery, who has been managed with kid gloves and Bubble Wrap in his return to pitching duties this year. He started his comeback by pitching one inning, then two, then so on until he built up to five. Weeks ago, the team — in consultation with the reigning MVP — decided to avoid pushing him past the five-inning mark until at least October.

His health, both on the bump and at the plate, remains the priority.

Thus, while Ohtani reportedly told Roberts he still felt good, he laughed and said it was up to the veteran manager to decide whether or not to extend his pitching outing.

Roberts, in a continuation of the team’s careful handling of Ohtani this year, decided against it.

The result, in a continuation of the struggles from the team’s beleaguered bullpen, was disastrous.

After pulling Ohtani with a four-run lead, the Dodgers watched their relief corps melt down in predictable, reminiscent fashion. Justin Wrobleski gave up five consecutive hits with one out in the sixth, including a three-run home run to Brandon Marsh that broke open the inning. Edgardo Henriquez made matters worse, replacing Wrobleski — amid a chorus of boos directed at Roberts — later in the inning only to give up another long ball to Max Kepler.

By the time it was over, the Phillies had scored six runs to take the lead. And though the Dodgers would battle back to tie the score in the eighth, the bullpen faltered again in the ninth, when Blake Treinen gave up a decisive three-run, two-out home run to Rafael Marchán in the Phillies’ eventual 9-6 win.

For the five innings Tuesday, Ohtani displayed utter dominance against the only team to have already clinched a division title.

His fastball was playing up, eclipsing 100 mph seven times and topping out at 101.7 mph. His secondary stuff was electric, a mix of sliders and sweepers and curveballs and splitters that kept the Phillies off balance and able to make only benign contact.

After a two-out walk to Bryce Harper in the first inning, Ohtani retired the final 13 he faced. He got only six total whiffs, but was more pitch-efficient because of it, with his 68 throws coming in 19 shy of his previous season-high (he threw 87 pitches in his only other full five-inning start on Aug. 27).

That’s why, once Ohtani raced back toward the dugout to transition from pitcher to hitter in the middle of the fifth, his removal wasn’t a foregone conclusion. Why, after Roberts conversed with Ohtani from the top step, he found first baseman Freddie Freeman laughing at him back on the bench, sensing the stressfulness of his manager’s decision (which represented the ninth time in Roberts’ Dodgers tenure he had pulled a pitcher from a no-hitter in the fifth inning or later).

By that point, of course, the game shouldn’t have been in danger either way.

The Dodgers had scored three runs in the second inning on home runs from Alex Call and Kiké Hernández. They added another in the fourth off Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, handing the Cy Young contender just his fourth start this season of more than three earned runs.

But then, a bullpen that had been burned repeatedly in recent weeks (including in a 10-inning loss in the opening game of this series Monday night) played with fire again.

Wrobleski, a rookie left-hander who had been one of the Dodgers’ better relievers of late, had Rafael Marchán break up the no-no with a one-out single, Harrison Bader and Kyle Schwarber to load the bases with two more hits after that, Harper to gap a double that brought two runs across, and Marsh to go deep on a hanging 0-2 slider for a go-ahead three-run shot.

Henriquez, another rookie who had been sharp in limited action this year, yielded another home run to Kepler two batters later.

Just like that, it was 6-4 Phillies.

Ohtani helped the Dodgers get back in the game with his bat. In the eighth, he clobbered a leadoff home run deep to right field for his 50th long ball of the season, making him just the sixth player in MLB history with consecutive 50-homer campaigns.

The Dodgers kept the rally going after that, loading the bases for Call to hit a tying sacrifice fly.

Alas, the Dodgers’ bullpen did what it does best once more in the ninth, coming unglued at the worst possible moment.

After getting two quick outs to start the inning, Treinen gave up a double to Weston Wilson (the No. 7 hitter who entered with a .202 average). He fell behind 3-and-0 to Bryson Stott (the No. 8 hitter) to trigger an intentional walk. Then, in a 3-and-1 count to Marchán (the No. 9 hitter and backup catcher for the Phillies), he served up an inside cutter that Marchán pulled down the line, getting just enough behind it to send it bouncing off the top of the short right-field wall.

Nine painful runs, in four miserable innings of Dodgers relief.

Another loss, that wasted Ohtani’s no-hit (but short-lived) masterpiece.