LOS ANGELES, CA — In Game 4 of this World Series, Dodger manager Dave Roberts resorted to a “bullpen” game in a hostile Yankee Stadium. He chose to use none of his high-leverage arms out of that bullpen. He started 25-year-old rookie Ben Casparius, who went two innings, giving up one run. He was followed by 37-year-old Daniel Hudson, who has a 6.43 ERA over his last fifteen games. Not a good ERA for a relief pitcher who only pitches one inning. Two hits, a walk, and a grand slam home run later, and the Yankees were off to the races.
Anthony Volpe hit a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the third inning of WS Game 4 on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The next Dodger pitcher was another rookie, Landon Knack, who is the Dodgers’ number four starter in a rotation pieced together after so many of their quality starters went down for the year with season-ending injuries. He was tasked with eating up innings and keeping it only a three-run lead for the Yankees. He did give up one home run and lasted four innings. The next out of the pen was Brent Honeywell, who is on the postseason roster because Joe Kelly is still out with a right shoulder injury.
Honeywell is usually the very last arm out of this pen when the Dodgers have a big lead, and the results of his performance showed why. He gave up four hits, one of which was a home run and a total of five runs in his one inning of work.
Gleyber Torres went yard off Brett Honeywell in Game 4 of the World Series for a three-run homer – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
In all fairness, this can’t be called “Throwing in the towel” by the Dodgers because they needed to keep their high-leverage relievers fresh for what will now be a series with the Yankees fired up. New York will start their ace, Gerrit Cole, in game five, and if Aaron Boone lifts him after 86 pitches again, he should be fired! Cole can throw 120 pitches and rest all winter with a ring on his finger if he can get the Yankees there.
Gerrit Cole will get the ball for Game 5 with New York’s season on the line – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The Dodgers will start a not-so-consistent Jack Flaherty, who will need those high-leverage arms if the Dodgers want to close out this series in New York.
If the series returns to LA, we will see Yoshinobu Yamamoto in game six and Walker Buehler, if there is a Game 7, for the Dodgers. Both had strong games against the Yankees. New York will start Carlos Rodón in Game 6, who was awful in game two and is determined to be what the 2021 AL LatinoMVP Starting Pitcher Award winner looked like this regular season.
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