The Dodgers’ bullpen struggled toward the end of the 2025 season, blowing numerous leads as the postseason approached. Dodgers relievers posted a 4.90 ERA during the final month of the season, which ranked third-worst in the National League and sixth-worst in the MLB. LA actively avoided their conventional relievers in the postseason, relying largely on starters like Tyler Glasnow, Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki to come out of the bullpen for a big performance.
Despite their struggles getting out of the pen, ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reports that the Dodgers are confident in the depth they will have next season.
“It said everything about how hard the Dodgers’ bullpen fell in 2025, and yet it stands in stark contrast to the front office’s firm belief at this point, according to sources — that their bullpen depth should inspire confidence in 2026,” Gonzalez wrote.
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The Dodgers’ troubles in the bullpen can certainly be attributed to injuries, as several key relievers have been on the injured list this season. Brock Stewart, whom the Dodgers acquired at the deadline, pitched just four times in his return to the Dodgers before landing on the IL, and Kirby Yates had three separate stints on the injured list. They also lost Evan Phillips for the season after he underwent Tommy John surgery in May and will likely miss much of 2026.
The bigger problem, however, was with the healthy players, as some of their go-to guys from the bullpen severely underperformed.
LA brought in Tanner Scott last offseason in search of an elite prospect to join their ranks, but he vastly underperformed during his first season with the Dodgers. He played in 61 games – fourth most on the team – and posted a 4.74 ERA while squandering 10 of his 33 save opportunities.
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Blake Treinen also vastly underperformed last season after re-signing with the Dodgers, posting a 5.40 ERA in 32 appearances.
While some of their bigger names have underperformed, the Dodgers still have plenty of promising players to pitch in relief, leading to their confidence in that area. Jack Dreyer, Anthony Banda and Alex Vesia all maintained ERAs around 3.00, and Edgardo Henriquez posted a 2.37 ERA through 22 games.
The Dodgers have plenty of reasons to believe their bullpen can make it in 2026, especially after winning the World Series in 2025. With a number of weapons returning and their promising pieces ready to go, they should have plenty of reinforcements in the pen next season.
Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn images
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