Sports

The Dodgers bullpen was supposed to be a strength. Why has it struggled early on?

Published

2 years ago

April 19, 2024

The Dodgers bullpen was supposed to be a strength. Why has it struggled early on?

Their top two relievers had pitched the two previous nights, so the Dodgers had little choice but to turn to J.P. Feyereisen, a 31-year-old journeyman trying to work his way back from shoulder surgery, in the seventh inning of a tie game against the San Diego Padres on Sunday.

A walk, a single, a walk, and a Jurickson Profar three-run double later, the Padres were on their way to a 6-3 victory.

If Brusdar Graterol or Blake Treinen was available, manager Dave Roberts could have turned to one of the two veteran right-handers in that situation against the Padres. Or maybe one or both of them would have pitched in the previous two games, freeing up closer Evan Phillips or setup man Daniel Hudson to work Sunday.

But the hard-throwing Graterol, who went 4-2 with a 1.20 ERA in 68 games last season, is on the 60-day injured list because of right-shoulder inflammation and won’t be eligible to return until May 20.

And Treinen, who missed most of 2022 and all of 2023 because of shoulder injuries but appeared to be regaining his 2021 form (6-5, 1.99 ERA in 72 games) with 3 ⅔ scoreless innings in spring training, has been sidelined since a March 9 line drive bruised a lung and fractured several ribs and is not expected back until early May.

Those two injuries, combined with the early-season struggles of two right-handers who were dominant for the Dodgers in 2023, have thinned out a bullpen that was expected to be a strength but has looked a bit wobbly while cycling through 15 different relievers in the first month of 2024.

“There have been some games where we’ve given up runs late or given up some crooked numbers and not allowed our offense to come back, where if you had those two leverage guys, I think things could have been different,” Roberts said.

“The hard part is just making sure we stay the course and check all the boxes with Blake, who’s coming [back] first, and then with Brusdar, so we can get them and keep them once they get back. But their presence has certainly been missed.”

Some injuries and inconsistencies in a rotation that entered Friday night’s game against the New York Mets with a 4.15 ERA (16th in baseball) and was averaging just under 4 ⅔ innings per start has strained a bullpen that has cracked at times under the stress.

A relief corps that went 24-11 with a major league-best 2.28 ERA from June 20 through the end of last season entered Friday with a 4.13 ERA, ranked 17th in baseball. Dodgers relievers had thrown a major league-high 93 ⅔ innings, given up 13 homers, third-most in the game, and walked 32 batters, ninth-most in baseball.

“Teams don’t like to push their starters quite as much at the beginning of the season, so I think it’s like this every April,” Hudson said. “As guys in the rotation start to build up more stamina, I think that will take a little bit of stress off us.”

The Dodgers might have better absorbed the injuries to Graterol and Treinen if veteran right-handers Ryan Brasier and Joe Kelly were pitching more like they did in 2023.

But Brasier, who went 2-0 with an 0.70 ERA in 39 games last season, entered Friday with a 4.50 ERA in eight games and had already given up more earned runs (four) and home runs (two) in eight innings than the three earned runs and one homer he yielded in 38 ⅔ innings in 2023.

Kelly, who had a 1.74 ERA in 11 games for the Dodgers after his July 28 trade from the Chicago White Sox last season, entered Friday with a 5.87 ERA in eight games, giving up four of his five earned runs in a five-run seventh inning of a 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on March 30.

“I feel pretty good physically, but my velocity is down a little bit,” said the 37-year-old Brasier, who gave up three runs — two on a Fernando Tatis Jr. homer — in a three-run seventh inning of an 8-7 loss to San Diego on April 12. “I’m doing some things to try to get it back to normal.”

Brasier’s four-seam fastball, which averaged 95.7 mph in 2023, is averaging 94.2 mph this season, his two-seam sinking fastball, which averaged 96.0 mph in 2023, is down to 93.9 mph, and his cut-fastball has dropped from 92.0 mph to 90.5 mph.

The 85-mph slider that was so effective for Brasier last season, when he held opponents to a .120 average (10 for 83) and no homers in at-bats ending with the pitch, has yielded a .417 average (five for 12) and two homers this season.

Kelly’s velocity is also down a tick, from 98.9 mph on his sinker to 97.7 mph, from 98.0 mph on his four-seamer to 98.0 mph, and from 91.6 mph on his slider to 90.4 mph, but the 35-year-old still ranks in the 96th percentile in fastball velocity.

“Whether you’re a starter or a reliever, you kind of have to minimize damage,” Roberts said. “If you look back at some of the games we haven’t won, we’ve given up crooked numbers in certain innings.”

There are some bright spots in the bullpen. Phillips entered Friday with a 1.17 ERA in eight games and had converted all five of his save opportunities. Veteran left-hander Ryan Yarbrough was 2-0 with a 3.20 ERA in 19 ⅔ innings over his first six games.

Hudson, who missed the second half of 2022 and most of 2023 because of knee injuries, was so effective in his first nine games (2.00 ERA, 12 strikeouts, no walks in nine innings) that he has moved into a setup role.

“Obviously, with the arms that we had, I wasn’t really expecting anything,” said the 37-year-old Hudson, who signed a minor league deal in December. “I knew I could still fill that [setup] role. The fact that I’m doing it early on, it’s been a lot of fun.”

Hudson wouldn’t have assumed such a high-leverage role if Graterol and Treinen were healthy, and the bullpen will be hard-pressed to regain the second-half dominance that helped propel the Dodgers to a 100-win season in 2023 until Graterol and Treinen return.

“Knowing what they can do late in games, it just lengthens our bullpen to have those two guys in there with experience pitching in big situations,” said Hudson, who closed for the World Series-winning Washington Nationals in 2019. “It’ll be nice to get those guys back when they’re ready.”

Sports

US figure skating power couple makes history with record breaking seventh national championship

Published

6 hours ago

January 11, 2026

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US figure skating power couple makes history with record breaking seventh national championship

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U.S. figure skating stars Madison Chock and Evan Bates made history on Saturday with their record-setting seventh U.S. Figure Skating title in their final competition before the Milan Cortina Olympics.

The three-time reigning world champions, performing a flamenco-style dance to a version of the Rolling Stones hit “Paint It Black” from the dystopian sci-fi Western show “Westworld,” produced a season-best free skate and finished with 228.87 points.

“The feeling that we got from the audience today was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before,” Chock said.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of United States perform during ISU World Figure Skating Championships – Boston, at TD Garden, on March 28, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Jurij Kodrun – International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)

They’ll be the heavy favorites to win gold next month in Italy.

“I felt so much love and joy,” Chock continued, “and I’m so grateful for this moment.”

U.S. Figure Skating will announce its selections on Sunday.

Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik were second with 213.65 points and Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko were third with 206.95, making those two pairs the likely choices to join Chock and Bates on the American squad for the upcoming Winter Games.

The men’s medals also were to be decided on Saturday, though two-time world champion Ilia Malinin had built such a lead after his short program that the self-styled “Quad God” would have to stumble mightily to miss out on a fourth consecutive title.

The U.S. also has qualified the maximum of three men’s spots for the Winter Games, and competition is tight between second-place Tomoko Hiwatashi, fan favorite Jason Brown, Andrew Torgashev and Maxim Naumov to round out the nationals podium.

The last time Chock and Bates competed in the Olympics in 2022 in Beijing, they watched their gold initially go to an opponent who was later disqualified for doping violations.

Chock and Bates initially had to settle for team silver with their American teammates on the podium at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Team Russia and Kamila Valieva, who was 15 at the time, stood above them with their gold medals.

It wasn’t until the end of January 2024, when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) found Valieva guilty of an anti-doping rule violation, when Chock, Bates and the U.S. were declared the rightful 2022 gold medalists.

UN URGES COUNTRIES TO HONOR TRUCE DURING WINTER OLYMPICS, NOT DENY VISAS TO ANY NATION’S ATHLETES

Madison Chock and Evan Bates compete in championship ice dance at the U.S. figure skating championships Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned substance, during an anti-doping test at the Russian Figure Skating Championships in December 2021. She was suspended for four years and stripped of all competitive results since that date.

Chock and Bates spoke about what their message to Valieva would be today during an interview at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee media summit in October.

“It’s hard to, I think, imagine what a 15-year-old has gone through and under that kind of situation,” Bates said. “And I know how stressful it is, being an elite athlete as an adult, as a 36-year-old. And I think that grace should be given to humans across the board. And we can never really know the full situation, at least from our point of view. … I genuinely don’t know what I would say to her.”

Chock added, “I would just wish her well like as I would. I think life is short. And, at the end of the day, we’re all human just going through our own human experience together. And regardless of what someone has or hasn’t done and how it has affected you, I think it’s important to remember we’re humans as a collective, and we’re all here for this, our one moment on earth, at the same time. And I just wish people to have healthy, happy lives, full of people that love them.”

Chock and Bates had to wait more than two years after the initial Olympics to get their rightful gold medals, and they were finally presented with them during a ceremony at the Paris Olympics last summer.

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Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA perform in the Gala Exhibition during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final Nagoya at IG Arena on December 07, 2025 in Nagoya, Japan. (Atsushi Tomura – International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)

Chock, Bates and teammates Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim and Vincent Zhou were given a specialized gold medal ceremony to receive the medals in front of more than 13,000 fans.

Chock and Bates became the first ice dancers to win three consecutive world championships in nearly three decades in March when they defeated Canadian rivals Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.

Sports

Eric Dailey Jr. and Trent Perry power UCLA to victory over Maryland

Published

7 hours ago

January 11, 2026

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Eric Dailey Jr. and Trent Perry power UCLA to victory over Maryland

Dave Roberts tossed T-shirts to fans. The students were back out in bunches. UCLA traded in its recent first-half troubles for a big lead.

It was sort of fun to be a Bruin again Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.

On an evening the team honored Roberts, the Dodgers manager and former Bruins outfielder who triumphantly hoisted the World Series trophy over his head during a timeout as fans roared, it was possible to forget about UCLA’s troubles for a few hours.

The Bruins’ 67-55 victory over Maryland was a needed reprieve for a team aching over its defense, not to mention a two-game losing streak that was comfortably snapped despite the Terrapins grabbing one offensive rebound after another.

Maryland (7-9, 0-5) finished with an absurd 20 offensive rebounds, leading to 24 second-chance points, and it still wasn’t enough to make the final minutes a worry for UCLA (11-5, 3-2) after a 6-0 push put the game away.

Forward Eric Dailey Jr. ensured that things didn’t go awry for the Bruins, nearly logging a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds. Trent Perry (16 points, six rebounds) hit a clutch corner three-pointer with a little less than six minutes left after Maryland had closed to within five points.

Maryland’s inability to make baskets — the Terrapins shot 30.3% overall and 18.2% from three-point range — was forced in part by some active defense, notably from UCLA’s Steven Jamerson II. The backup center had perhaps his best across-the-board showing as a Bruin, finishing with eight points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal in 22 minutes.

UCLA guard Trent Perry, left, collides with Maryland guard Andre Mills while battling for a defensive rebound in the first half Saturday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

His top highlight came on an offensive rebound he snagged while falling out of bounds and saved by flinging a pass to Perry for a three-pointer. UCLA would have won with even greater ease had it not made just 18 of 27 free throws (67%).

There were moments it was easy to forget the Bruins were playing without guard Skyy Clark (hamstring) and forward Brandon Williams (lower-leg injury). Both players are considered day to day, meaning they could return soon.

Maryland could relate to being shorthanded. The Terrapins were missing star center Pharrel Payne, who remained sidelined because of a knee injury. Forward Elijah Saunders led Maryland with 17 points.

It wasn’t nearly enough given the Bruins looked a bit more like the team they need to be.

Sports

Falcons hire franchise legend Matt Ryan to major front office role

Published

18 hours ago

January 10, 2026

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Falcons hire franchise legend Matt Ryan to major front office role

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The Atlanta Falcons have added one of the team’s greatest players to its front office.

The Falcons announced on Saturday that former quarterback Matt Ryan, who spent the first 14 years of his 15-year NFL career with the team after being drafted third overall in 2008, will be president of football on Saturday. The 40-year-old Ryan, who holds team records for passing yards, touchdowns and wins, will assume the new role immediately.

Ryan will report directly to owner Arthur Blank and collaborate with president and CEO Greg Beadles to ensure the alignment of the business and football areas of the organization.

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) on the sideline before he is inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at halftime of a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Oct. 3, 2024. (Brett Davis/Imagn Images)

“Throughout his remarkable 14-year career in Atlanta, Matt’s leadership, attention to detail, knowledge of the game and unrelenting drive to win made him the most successful player in our franchise’s history,” Blank said in a statement.

“I am confident those same qualities will be a tremendous benefit to our organization as he steps into this new role. From his playing days to his time as an analyst at CBS, Matt has always been a student of the game, and he brings an astute understanding of today’s NFL, as well as unique knowledge of our organization and this market. I have full confidence and trust in Matt as we strive to deliver a championship caliber team for Atlanta and Falcons fans everywhere.”

The Falcons fired head coach Raheem Morris on Sunday after back-to-back 8-9 seasons. The Falcons had won their last four games, leading some to believe Morris might be afforded a third season, but Blank had other plans.

AARON RODGERS TAKES THINLY-VEILED SHOT AT JETS AHEAD OF STEELERS’ PLAYOFF GAME

CBS Sports broadcaster Matt Ryan before a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on Nov. 16, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

The Falcons also fired general manager Terry Fontenot after five seasons on Sunday. Ryan will be fully involved in the team’s search for the Falcons’ next head coach and general manager.

“Arthur gave me the chance of a lifetime almost twenty years ago, and he’s done it again today,” Ryan said in a statement.

“While I appreciate the time I had with the Colts and with CBS, I’ve always been a Falcon. It feels great to be home. I could not be more excited, grateful, or humbled by this new opportunity. I began my career with a singular goal: to do right by the Blank family, the Falcons organization, the City of Atlanta, and especially our fans. My commitment to the success of this franchise has not changed. I’m beyond ready to help write a new chapter of excellence.”

Ryan has spent the last three seasons as a member of the CBS Sports team as an analyst.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) passes the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Jan. 2, 2022. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)

“I want to thank the incredible team at CBS Sports. I loved my three years there and I am truly grateful for their support in pursuing this opportunity. The CBS Sports culture is amazing, and I have made teammates and friends for life,” Ryan said in a statement.

Ryan, who was drafted out of Boston College, played with the Falcons for 14 seasons and holds many franchise records, including passing yards (59,735), attempts (8,003), completions (5,242), passing touchdowns (367), passer rating (94.6), completion percentage (65.5) and 300-yard games (73).

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.