Shohei Ohtani did everything in his power to deliver the Los Angeles Dodgers a win on Tuesday night, but once again, Los Angeles’ bullpen had other plans. Ohtani no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies through five innings, striking out five and allowing only a Bryce Harper walk. When he left with a 4-0 lead after just 68 pitches, it looked like the Dodgers were well on their way to a crucial September victory.
Instead, the game unraveled in familiar fashion. Justin Wrobleski immediately coughed up five runs in the sixth, surrendering the no-hitter to the second batter he faced. Later, Blake Treinen gave up a crushing three-run homer in the ninth to Rafael Marchan, sealing a 9-6 defeat. The collapse spoiled what could have been a statement win over one of the National League’s top contenders.
Manager Dave Roberts, usually a steady defender of his team, acknowledged after the game that his relievers are “lacking confidence” right now, via Dodger Blue. That lack of conviction was on full display against a Phillies lineup that punished nearly every mistake.
The Ohtani Dilemma
Vote For Your Favorite Dodgers Duo: Ohtani – Yamamoto, Betts – Freeman, Hernandez – Hernandez
Roberts’ decision to pull Ohtani after five innings sparked plenty of debate. The two-way superstar had thrown fewer pitches (68) than his season high (87) and seemed capable of going deeper. But the Dodgers have been conservative with his workload all season as he returns to full-time pitching.
“He wasn’t going to go back out,” Roberts told NBC LA’s Michael J. Duarte, making it clear the team is sticking to pre-set limits regardless of how sharp Ohtani looks. The strategy is understandable given Ohtani’s importance as both pitcher and hitter, but it raises uncomfortable questions: is protecting him worth sacrificing winnable games?
A Dodgers Bullpen in Crisis
The Dodgers built their roster with the idea that a deep bullpen could absorb moments like this. Instead, it has become a liability. Los Angeles currently ranks 20th in bullpen ERA (4.30), according to Covers.com — a troubling figure for a club with World Series aspirations.
Tanner Scott was supposed to stabilize the late innings, yet he’s struggled to settle into the closer’s role under the spotlight in Los Angeles. Wrobleski’s implosion and Treinen’s late mistake only added to the narrative of a relief corps unable to handle pressure situations.
A Harsh Reality Check
The Dodgers eventually tied the game in the eighth thanks to an Ohtani homer and Alex Call’s sacrifice fly, but the momentum evaporated quickly. When Marchan, a backup catcher with little big-league pedigree, took Treinen deep in the ninth, it felt symbolic — the Dodgers can’t stop getting burned by the most unlikely names.
With the postseason fast approaching, these breakdowns can’t continue. The Dodgers made the choice to trust their bullpen over extending Ohtani, and that trust was repaid with one of the ugliest losses of the season. For a team that has invested heavily in October success, the clock is ticking to fix what’s rapidly becoming its biggest flaw.