NLDS: Does Don Mattingly trust Dodgers’ bullpen?

Don Mattingly stuck with Clayton Kershaw well past 100 pitches in a tough loss on Friday night. Was that move made in part because of a lack of faith in the Dodgers’ bullpen?

The Los Angeles Dodgers lost one of the more shocking games in recent memory on Friday night in Game 1 of their NL Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night. The Cardinals put together an incredible 7th inning rally and scored eight runs to eventually win the game 10-9.

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As the hits piled up in the 7th inning, manager Don Mattingly stuck with starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw. He did so despite the fact that Kershaw was showing signs of fatigue and despite the fact that he had his full bullpen at his disposal.

Mattingly might have been motivated to stick with Kershaw because he had faith in his ace, but Steve Dilbeck of the LA Times writes that the decision also showed a lack of faith in the Dodgers’ bullpen:

"But the seventh and eighth innings have been the Land of the Unknown all season for the Dodgers, a great adventure with an uncertain ending. Mattingly has understandable confidence in Kershaw, but clearly precious little in his bullpen……Fear of using the bullpen cost the Dodgers. And then actually using it did. It’s an old story, dusted off and made postseason-fresh."

By way of contrast, the Cardinals have an outstanding bullpen, something that might give them a significant advantage in this series. The Dodgers have two more studs lined up in their rotation in this series with Zack Greinke and Hyun-jin Ryu. Mattingly will presumably hope that they can carry the load and keep the pressure off the bullpen.

Don Mattingly stuck with Clayton Kershaw well past 100 pitches in a tough loss on Friday night. Was that move made in part because of a lack of faith in the Dodgers’ bullpen?

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