When the Bullpen Cracks
Giants vs. Dodgers
For most of this season, the Giants’ bullpen has been talked about as a strength — maybe even the one part of the roster that could tilt close games in San Francisco’s favor. That reputation didn’t survive this week’s series with the Dodgers.
In three games, the Giants gave up 23 runs on 35 hits in the final two games alone, forcing the bullpen into extended duty after short outings from starters Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. Webb had one of his bad days getting hit in early innings and did not last long enough to get into any kind of rhythm. And Ray did not look like he was really there, was uncharacteristically wild and often not even close to the strike zone. This resulted in relief arms having to cover more innings — nearly 10 innings in just those last two games, and instead of looking like a strength, they looked over matched — handing out walks, plunking batters, and missing the zone in high-leverage spots.
Walking three hitters with a hit batter in the middle of a rally isn’t bad luck — it’s missing focus and rhythm. Against a disciplined Dodgers lineup that doesn’t chase and knows how to wait out shaky command, the results became inevitable.
Why It Hurts More in September
Fans expect cracks in April. They’re less forgiving in September. This is the month when playoff hopes live or die on the small stuff — command, discipline, an extra strike thrown with runners on base. That’s when free passes feel fatal, because they often are.
The bullpen may bounce back — they’ve looked solid in stretches all year. But the Dodgers series was a reminder that reputations don’t win games. Execution does.
For this Giants fan it was hard to watch and I didn’t for the last part of game three. It wasn’t just the losses that stung. It was watching what was supposed to be the “undisputable thing” — a superior bullpen — turn into the weak spot, right when it mattered most.
The Giants still have to win at least ten games from the end of that series to make the playoffs.
Why It Matters
This isn’t just about a bad series. It’s about September baseball revealing truth. A bullpen can look dominant until the lights get brightest and the lineup across the field makes you throw strike after strike. The Dodgers forced that test. The Giants didn’t pass it.
