LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are well aware that their approach is out of the ordinary.

At times, it may seem a bit absurd.

With a payroll surpassing $300 million and an investment of $1.4 billion in free agents last winter, relying on bullpen games to keep their postseason aspirations alive feels unusual.

Nonetheless, they find themselves in this situation for the third time in the playoffs, preparing for Game 6 against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.

Ryan Brasier, who hasn’t pitched two innings in a game since August 23, 2023, is slated to take the mound.

Following that, they plan to utilize six or perhaps seven more relievers to complete the task.

This strategy proved effective during the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, where they achieved an impressive 8-0 victory in Game 4.

However, it was a disaster in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series, resulting in a 7-3 loss.

The Dodgers aim for these bullpen pitchers to lead them to their fourth World Series appearance in eight seasons.

Currently leading the series 3-2, the Dodgers are optimistic about their approach. Unlike the Mets, who used their top two relievers, Ryne Stanek and Edwin Diaz, for the final outs in their 12-6 win of Game 5, the Dodgers’ key relievers have not been utilized since Game 4.

“It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated. “I see it that way. With the bullpen, there are limits on how much each individual can contribute, so it depends on each player’s condition concerning the opponent, pitch counts, among other factors.

“Our focus is on Game 6, and we’re prepared to do whatever necessary to stop runs for the potential of two more games.”

The Mets desperately need their top pitcher, Sean Manaea, to work deep into the game to force a Game 7, aware that they cannot compete directly with the Dodgers’ formidable bullpen.

“I’m just giving it everything I’ve got,” Manaea commented. “My aim is to pitch deeply into the game. That is my personal goal. I’m not attempting to change anything or overexert myself. Whatever I can contribute, that’s what I’ll do.”

If a Game 7 occurs, the Dodgers will return to a traditional starting approach with Walker Buehler, who delivered four shutout innings in Game 3, receiving praise akin to that given to legends like Bob Gibson or Jack Morris.

This postseason has yet to see a single complete game. Only Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles pitched into the eighth inning. Seven pitchers managed to complete seven innings, while 12 starters lasted two or fewer innings.

This unusual reliance on bullpens has led to relievers pitching more innings this postseason (312) compared to starters (303 ⅓).

“That’s the current state of the game considering analytics and related factors,” Mets All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso remarked. “The game has transformed significantly. Everyone aims to showcase their best skills all the time. There’s no room for passive play. It’s intense, high-energy baseball with maximum effort required every pitch.”

Teams continue to utilize this strategy because it has proven effective. During Games 3 and 4 of the NLCS, the Dodgers’ bullpen achieved 28 outs without allowing a single run.

“I believe that using a bullpen game offers a solid chance to limit scoring,” Roberts stated.

Still, the strategy can backfire. There have been 15 blown saves in this postseason—the highest outside the pandemic-altered season, according to the New York Post. Emmanuel Clase, the top closer for the Cleveland Guardians, had only allowed five earned runs and two homers in 74 ⅓ innings during the regular season with an impressive 0.64 ERA. However, in this postseason, he has already surrendered eight earned runs and three homers in just seven innings heading into Saturday.

The Mets are stretching their bullpen to the limits, hoping that the increased workload doesn’t lead to a collapse. Stanek had a career-high 2 ⅓ innings, while Diaz threw two innings in Game 5, showing Mets manager Carlos Mendoza’s lack of faith in any other pitchers to safeguard a five-run advantage.

“What we’ve witnessed this year is that players do get fatigued,” Mendoza acknowledged. “Therefore, the significance of starting pitchers remains critical. Teams need pitchers who can go deep. Expecting relievers to secure 15 or 16 outs daily is a demanding task. That underlines the necessity of strong starting pitching.”

“Teams vary widely in their construction. We’ve got some starting pitchers, but some teams rely heavily on elite bullpen arms.”

Roberts has effectively managed his bullpen by utilizing high-leverage pitchers only when necessary, allowing other relievers to handle innings when the situation calls for it.

Currently, the situation looks bleak.

“We might have two games ahead of us,” said Roberts. “I believe we’re well-positioned to prevent runs. I don’t think we’ve had to rely heavily on our top pitchers at all. This has been part of my learning journey through the years.”

If the Dodgers secure a win in Game 6, they can start preparing for the World Series, which kicks off Friday night at Dodger Stadium. They will have starters Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, and Walker Buehler all rested and ready to go. Their bullpen will enjoy four full days off as well, and All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman, who is currently hitting 1-for-15 and has yet to achieve an extra-base hit in the postseason, will receive an additional four days of treatment for his sprained ankle.

At some point, the effectiveness of the bullpen could determine the outcome of a game in the late innings. So far, three games have ended with a margin of victory of eight or more runs, four games have concluded with at least a six-run difference, and no team has gone into the ninth inning trailing by less than four runs.

Interestingly, the only postseason series in history that had six games decided by a margin of four or more runs occurred during the 1965 World Series between the Dodgers and the Minnesota Twins, as reported by the Athletic, where the average victory margin was seven runs.

“This is one of the key lessons I’ve learned about playoff baseball,” said Dodgers reliever Brent Honeywell. “When you have a lead, you must do everything possible to maintain it; you quickly discover who is ready to perform in the playoffs.”

This is why Roberts is willing to deploy his high-leverage relievers earlier in games, with occasional closer Michael Kopech entering postseason matches as early as the third inning and as late as the eighth.

“I think it’s becoming common for managers across baseball to be more aggressive with their high-leverage pitchers once they gain the lead,” Roberts explained. “It’s challenging to get back in the game or to extend a lead. Seeing different pitchers can expose the other teams’ bullpens, and I believe we’ve managed this quite effectively.”

If given a choice, Roberts would prefer to have Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and/or Gavin Stone alongside Yamamoto, Flaherty, and Buehler.

“I would love to have John Smoltz or Greg Maddux pitch seven shutout innings,” Roberts noted, “or even throw a one-hitter or two-hitter in a World Series game. That would be fantastic.”

For now, it’s all about adjusting strategies and hoping for favorable matchups.

This is the reality of playoff baseball in 2024.

“That’s just the current state of the game,” Alonso remarked. “What can we do?”