Failure to close may open door for early exit

In the latest episode of “Dodgers Debate,” Dodgers beat reporter Jack Harris and columnists Bill Plaschke and Dylan Hernandez discussed the multiple issue involving the bullpen, whether Shohei Ohtani or Roki Sasaki are viable options as relievers and whether they believe the Dodgers could still win the World Series.

- By Jack Harris, BILL PLASCHKE AND DYLAN HERNANDEZ

ALEX VESIA (51) is removed against the Angels. The Dodgers' bullpen woes are a big reason why doubt is cast on their title defense.

Below isa transcript of some of that conversation, edited for length and clarity. You can find all episodes of “Dodgers Debate” at latimes.com/dodgers, on The ‘Times’ YouTube channel. or wherever you listen to audio podcasts.

The Dodgers entered new territory asa second-place team going into the weekend because of a terrible week all the way around for them. The script of some of these games — the not being able to extend the lead, not being able to trust the bullpen, not being able to win close games — it’s taken what was already abad stretch of the season and put it, if not in crisis mode, at least the kind of place that the Dodgers haven’t been on this bad of an extended runsince the start of the 2018 season, maybe?

Plaschke: One thing the bullpen does whenit’s bad is that it just deflates the team. It deflates the offense. It drives a stake through the heart of the hitters. They're not as keen, they’re not as caring. It’s almost like they say “here we go again” and they’re giving up. You can’t overestimate how much the failure to short the bullpen at the trade deadline is costing this team. It could cost them everything.