Sep 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) takes out starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) from the game during the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Dodgers' Dave Roberts Sends Bold Message to MLB on Starting Rotation

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Gabe Smallson | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 3:30 PM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had bullpen struggles all season long, and they were on full display during the first game of the Wild Card round Tuesday evening.

A nightmare eighth inning by the bullpen resulted in three earned runs, four walks, and 59 pitches across three relievers — but what transpired before that proved exactly what manager Dave Roberts claimed ahead of the postseason.

“This is as good as I’ve had a starting staff going into the postseason,’’ Roberts said. “By far.”

Two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell had a 0.47 ERA across his last three starts of the regular season, allowing one earned run in 19 innings. He punched out 28 and walked just five in this time.

When he got the nod to kick off the Dodgers' title defense on Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds, he followed suit with his recent brilliance, punching out eight over seven innings and allowing two earned runs (both in his last frame).

Unfortunately, the bullpen followed suit with their recent antics as well in the painstakingly long eighth.

To hopefully further prove Roberts' point, the Dodgers have ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound Wednesday to try and move on to the NLDS.

Yamamoto has been lights out during the month of September, totaling an absurd 0.67 ERA through his last four starts. In those 27 innings, he has struck out 34 and allowed just two earned runs.

Roberts also has an almost unheard-of luxury in the form of superstar Shohei Ohtani. The three-time MVP not only recently set a Dodgers franchise record with 55 home runs this season, but has an ERA of 0.46 across his last 19.2 innings dating back to his final start in August.

Another wrinkle in the success of the rotation recently has been right-hander Emmet Sheehan. The 25-year-old has a 1.11 ERA through his last six outings (five of which were starts, and one featured him taking over for an opener in the first inning) tossing 45 strikeouts to just seven walks. This has led Roberts to perhaps use the young pitcher in relief later this postseason.

Even Tyler Glasnow has been in on the starting pitching festivities with a 2.49 ERA through his last four outings.

Things for the rotational part of the pitching roster have never been better this season, and they will look to carry the team through October.