D-backs bullpen collapse to Dodgers invokes memory of last year’s

The Arizona Diamondbacks led the Los Angeles Dodgers late before blowing the save and ceding the game. Then it happened again. Then it happened again.

That was from Aug. 31 through Sept. 2 of last season, when the D-backs had every opportunity to sweep a four-game series from the Dodgers and extend their National League West lead. Instead, the bullpen — which had been struggling throughout the second half of the season after being arguably the best in the league in the first half — imploded. It never got back on track. Arizona missed the playoffs.

That collapse was much later in the season, but this week’s back-to-back Dodgers walk-offs have a similar feel. In the latter portion of 2018, there was a feeling of unease as the bullpen entered. After the Dodgers series, there was a feeling of resignation with the bullpen — it wouldn’t go well.

In the immediate aftermath of last series, there’s a similar point of pessimism regarding the bullpen. There’s uncertainty how the team should move forward.

Greg Holland had just one blown save until June 20. In his seven appearances since (and including) that game against the Colorado Rockies, he has more blown saves (3) than saves (2), allowing five runs in 5.1 innings. We’ll spare the gory details of his blown saves Tuesday and Wednesday.

Yoshi Hirano, who had an opportunity to take the closer role late last year, has been inconsistent this year. Archie Bradley is an afterthought.

Yoan Lopez is the only relief pitcher who has been trustworthy. His 1.36 ERA is eighth-best among qualified relievers and lowest among pitchers who have at least 39 appearances, according to FanGraphs.

But he’s still a rookie, only had nine innings of major league experience prior to this season, and gave up the walk-off home run to Cody Bellinger Wednesday night.

After the game Wednesday, Lovullo told Fox Sports Arizona he wasn’t sure of what to do next and wanted to clear his emotions from the night before making a decision.

“But, I am concerned,” he acknowledged.

Rolling out a new closer can be a challenge if there’s no sure-fire replacement. If Lopez (or whoever) doesn’t work out, Holland may not be in the right mental state to take the job back. In high-leverage situations, a closer can’t be worried about losing his role.

Now, Arizona enters a series against the Colorado Rockies that could be pivotal going into the All-Star break. If the D-backs suffer another round of devastating losses to a division foe, would they stew over that for the four-day break and not be able to recover?

In September 2018, the D-backs and Rockies faced off seven times. Arizona lost six of the them, including a 13-2 shellacking, a walk-off, and a 6-2 game in which the Rockies scored four runs in the eighth.

Between that first Rockies game Sept. 10 and the final one Sept. 23, Arizona won only three games.

The D-backs, who at one point had control of the NL West, had to watch the Rockies win the wildcard game and advance to the NL Division Series.

With all that said, from a pure 2019 standings standpoint, the teams are tight. If Arizona had pulled off both wins over the Dodgers this week, the D-backs and Rockies would be tied for second place in the NL West. They have near-identical records over the last two weeks.

Both got swept in a two-game series to enter July. Both split a four-game series to close June and won two of three games in the series prior. Over the last 12 games, Arizona is 5-7 and Colorado is 4-8.

But extend that out one more series and the D-backs are 5-10 while Colorado is 7-8. Because two weeks ago, the Rockies were completing a sweep over the D-backs by tying the game off Holland in the ninth and winning off Hirano in the 10th.

Every bullpen goes through struggles. It’s just rare for a competitive team to have its entire ‘pen collapse.

Arizona has had it happen two years in a row now.

The good news is the 2019 Diamondbacks have proven they can win when everything is clicking.

But in 2018, when the entire bullpen reached its breaking point, the team fell apart. If a closer doesn’t reveal himself, it could happen much earlier this year.

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