Sasaki's return could signal relief for Dodgers

After months on the injured list, the rookie works a dominant 1-2-3 inning in Arizona.

- BY JACK HARRIS

Dave Roberts often refers to his bullpen hierarchy as something of a "trust tree," with branches of relievers he can trust in leverage spots.

Lately, however, it's been more like a shriveled-up houseplant. Barren, depleted and long-shunned from the sun.

Entering Wednesday, the Dodgers' 4.33 bullpen ERA ranked 21st in the majors. Since the start of September, that number had climbed to a stunning 5.69 mark. Closer Tanner Scott has converted less than onethird of his save opportunities, his ERA rising to 4.91 after his latest meltdown on Tuesday. Top right-hander Blake Treinen had been the losing pitcher in each of the Dodgers' five defeats before that, sending his ERA to a career-worst 5.55. And plenty of other factors - from injuries to underperformance to the inability of the front office to bolster the group at the trade deadline - have contributed to the late-game incompetence that has threatened to derail the Dodgers' season.

It all left the Dodgers with only one full-time relief arm sporting an ERA under 3.00 this season - Alex Vesia, who has a 2.62 mark in 66 appearances.

It has turned the final days of the regular season into an all-out manhunt for even the slightest of trustworthy playoff options.

As Roberts put it Wednesday, he is simply looking for "guys that are gonna take the mound with conviction. That are gonna be on the attack. That are gonna throw strikes, quality strikes, and compete."

Maybe, just maybe, Roki Sasaki can be the answer.

On Wednesday, the rookie 23-year-old right-hander was activated from the injured list after missing almost five months with a shoulder injury, came out of the bullpen for a dominant 12-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh, and helped preserve a 5-4 Dodgers win that took them to the precipice of a National League West title - clinching their 12th division title in the last 13 seasons less than 24 hours later with an 8-0 win.