The Dodgers are heading into October without a dedicated closer, opting instead for the “have a bunch of really good relievers and use them when and where they’re needed” approach. It’s an approach that makes a lot of sense, but it wasn’t Plan A for Los Angeles, who traded for Craig Kimbrel in the spring with the expectation that he would be their closer in the fall.
With Kimbrel demoted at least out of the closer role and possibly off the postseason roster altogether, if L.A. manager Dave Roberts were to name a ninth-inning guy, it probably would have been Evan Phillips, who posted a 1.