Los Angeles Dodgers have encountered an insurmountable hurdle on their road to advancing in the National League Championship Series: left-handed reliever Alex Vesia has suffered an intercostal muscle strain, as confirmed by manager Dave Roberts over the weekend, making an already difficult journey even harder for an organization that heavily relies on its bullpen strength.
Impact of Vesia’s Absence
Vesia sustained his injury while warming up for the eighth inning in Game 5 of the National League Division Series shortly after successfully closing out the seventh. He signaled for medical attention due to discomfort in his right side; as one of their high-leverage pitchers with 1.76 ERAs and 87 Ks over 66 and 1/3 regular season innings pitched during regular season play; Vesia will surely represent an immense setback to Los Angeles Dodgers chances in playoff competition.
Dodgers’ Complicated Path Forward
The situation is further complicated by the team’s next opponent, the New York Mets, who have a lineup that leans significantly right-handed. This poses an additional challenge as Joe Kelly and Brusdar Graterol, two key right-handed relievers for the Dodgers, are unlikely to return from shoulder injuries in time for the NLCS roster.
Adjusting the Rotation Strategy
The Dodgers are navigating this postseason with a scarce three-man rotation of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, and Walker Buehler. Given the schedule, Yamamoto will likely pitch just once, potentially in Game 4, due to the arrangement of rest days. The absence of Tony Gonsolin, who is not expected to be part of the NLCS lineup, means the Dodgers might need to rely on bullpen games for two out of the seven series games.
Seeking Alternatives in Pitching
Due to Vesia’s absence, the Dodgers are considering various pitchers as potential replacements, including Michael Kopech, Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips Daniel Hudson Ryan Brasier and Anthony Banda. Landon Knack may also see extended innings or perhaps Brent Honeywell activated even while dealing with cracked fingernail pain but remaining game ready through simulation matches.
Manager Dave Roberts explained the need for strategic adjustments as being necessary given the length and availability of key pitchers for maximum effort roles as done during five-game series. To do this, Roberts noted he will distribute innings among various players rather than only depending on them for maximum effort roles as in five game series.