Closer concerns could be Dodgers’ kryptonite vs. Braves in NLCS

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been relatively solid throughout this postseason, but the closer position remains a huge question mark.

Entering this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers were viewed as the team that would most likely represent the NL in the 2020 World Series. The majority of last season’s team remained intact but made one solid addition: outfielder Mookie Betts. That resulted in the team having the best record in MLB and allowed them to clinch “home-field advantage” throughout the postseason. The Dodgers easily swept through the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card Round and managed to defeat the San Diego Padres in three games in the NLDS.

On Saturday, manager Dave Roberts revealed his starting pitchers for the first two games of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves. But when asked if Kenley Jansen will remain the team’s closer, Roberts was non-committal.

“I’m very sensitive to what he has accomplished on the baseball field, as a closer and as a perennial All-Star, but we also have to look in real-time and do what’s best for the Dodgers,” said Roberts, via USA Today.

Kenley Jansen has shown concerning signs of regression

Jansen has pitched in three games this postseason, and was far from impressive due to a drop in his velocity. The closer entered in Game 1 of Los Angeles’ Wild Card series against the Brewers, but it was far from easy. Jansen faced four Brewers batters in the ninth, where he recorded one strikeout, one fly out and one walk on 16 pitches thrown. In Game 1 of the NLDS, Jansen faced two Padres batters, and got them out on nine pitches. But things turned disastrous in Game 2.

The Dodgers held a 6-3 lead over the Padres in the top of the ninth inning, which gave Roberts enough confidence to bring in Jansen for the save opportunity. Jansen managed to strike out Wil Myers for the first out, but the wheels quickly fell off. Jansen surrendered a single to Jake Cronenworth, who subsequently scored on a double by Mitch Moreland to cut their deficit to 6-4. Jansen managed to get Austin Nola to pop out for the second out, but immediately surrendered an RBI single to Trent Grisham, forcing Roberts to pull Jansen from the game. Luckily, Joe Kelly was able to get them out of the jam.

Los Angeles have been viewed by fans and pundits as postseason chokers. They have had the rosters to win at least one World Series in the past half-decade, but have not hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy since 1988. This year is arguably the Dodgers’ best opportunity to win the World Series, but they have an obvious weakness at the closer’s position that could be a hindrance to them against the Braves.

Putting Jansen in the game in high-leverage situations would be a grand error on Roberts’ part. You saw what the Padres did to him in the NLDS, just imagine what the Braves would do. Atlanta, as a team, recorded a .268 cumulative batting average (second-highest in league), 103 home runs (second-most), 338 RBI (league-high) and .832 OPS (league-high) this regular-season. That’s a team the Dodgers can’t afford to mess with.

Kelly would be the best closing option for the Dodgers, but they have some fallback choices in Graterol and Julio Urias. If the Dodgers want to reach their third World Series in four years, they can’t send Jansen to the mound in the ninth inning. It’s too risky.