This story was excerpted from Sonja Chen's Dodgers Beat newsletter, with MLB.com's Jackson Stone filling in for this edition. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
MILWAUKEE -- The Dodgers’ bullpen has accomplished something that no Dodgers team in the last 137 years -- not even a single one of the franchise’s nine World Series title clubs -- has been able to touch. And it’s not over.
Los Angeles extended its scoreless streak out of the ’pen to 38 innings with two scoreless frames during a 5-1 win over the Brewers on Sunday afternoon at American Family Field.
It’s the Dodgers’ longest stretch since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, and the longest scoreless run in the Majors since Cleveland's bullpen recorded 38 2/3 shutout innings in 2017. The Major League record in that span is 45 2/3 innings, set by the Tigers in 1962.
This stretch has spanned 12 games, beginning in the eighth inning on May 12, and has involved 12 different pitchers. The Dodgers are 9-3 during the run and have outscored opponents 66-19 since it began.
“They’re on a heater. It’s one of those things where when it doesn’t go well, they get the blame. And when it does go well, they don’t get a lot of credit,” manager Dave Roberts said of the ‘pen. “But they are getting the credit now, and it’s earned. Really happy for those guys. We spread those innings pretty well with a lot of different arms.”
The stretch has included innings from the following:
- Edgardo Henriquez (5 1/3 IP, five appearances)
- Tanner Scott (5 1/3 IP, five appearances)
- Kyle Hurt (5 IP, five appearances)
- Alex Vesia (4 2/3 IP, five appearances)
- Blake Treinen (3 2/3 IP, four appearances)
- Will Klein (3 IP, three appearances)
- Jonathan Hernández (2 IP, two appearances)
- Paul Gervase (2 IP, one appearance)
- Wyatt Mills (2 IP, two appearances)
- Jack Dreyer (2 IP, two appearances)
- Charlie Barnes (2 IP, two appearances)
- Chayce McDermott (1 IP, one appearance)
A number of those relievers are either in the Minor Leagues now or on the injured list, which speaks not only to the pitching depth in the Dodgers’ organization, but also to how difficult it is to extend a streak like this with so many individuals and the situations that they stepped onto the mound to face.
“I think regardless of who comes into a ballgame, they have the confidence now to go up and put up a zero,” Roberts said. “And it makes my life easier because you trust a lot more guys, and that’s what these guys have earned.”
There’s reason to believe they’ll be better, too. The Dodgers are doing this without All-Star closer Edwin Díaz, who has been out since April 20 due to loose bodies in his right elbow. But since his departure, the Dodgers entered Sunday leading the Majors in bullpen ERA (2.21) and were second to Miami in opponents’ batting average vs. the bullpen (.187).
“They’re pretty relentless,” catcher Dalton Rushing said. “Everyone wants the ball, regardless of who you are, regardless of the situation. They want to go out there, they want to succeed, they want to show out of the team. I don’t think it’s really in their head, what they’re doing right now -- I don’t think they’re aware of it. But that’s the good thing about it. They just go out there, throw the ball and good results come."
Hurt has taken on one of the biggest loads, tossing 14 straight scoreless innings (including working around two baserunners in Saturday’s win) dating to April 19, when he entered after Díaz faced four batters without recording an out. Hurt had pitched in just 8 2/3 total innings in his two seasons prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024. This season? He has a 0.60 ERA in 15 games (15 IP).
“We’re just being ready for any situation,” Hurt said. “Certain teams have a closer role, certain teams have a setup guy, and I feel like everyone is just embracing when their name is called and not overcomplicating everything. … Everyone is just doing their thing and not caring about the situation and just getting outs.”
Los Angeles also led the Major Leagues in reliever ERA (2.87) after Sunday’s game, which will be just another thing opposing teams have to fear as the first-place Dodgers go for a historic three-peat.
“In 2024 they helped us a lot, ’25 too, and this year is not going to be different,” said Teoscar Hernández, who tied a career high for the fourth time with six RBIs on Saturday night. “They’re built for this and they’re ready for it.”