Dodgers vs. Brewers: Assessing the state of each bullpen heading into NLCS Game 5

The series is tied 2-2 and after a 13-inning affair, how do the bullpens look?

LOS ANGELES -- Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning for most of the country, we witnessed one of the longest postseason games of all-time and both bullpens were unbelievable. We could say it was bad offense, sure, but let's give credit to the relief pitchers. In 20 2/3 innings from relievers in Game 3 of the NLCS (Dodgers 2, Brewers 1), there was one run scored. That's a collective bullpen ERA of 0.44 for the game. 

After a 13-inning game in the back-to-back-to-back part of the series with two managers who are aggressive with bullpen use, one might think a lot of relievers will be unavailable for Game 5. I'm not sure that's the case. Let's run through it. 

Brewers

Lefty Wade Miley gets the start and he likely needs to get through five innings, but it's possible he won't be needed quite as much. Here's why. 

• Brandon Woodruff hasn't pitched since Game 1, when he went two innings. He went three innings in Game 1 of the NLDS as the starter in a bullpen game. He could give the Brewers length if need be. 
• Xavier Cedeno hasn't pitched since Game 2. 
• Jeremy Jeffress didn't pitch in Game 4, so he'll be ready to return in Game 5. He's been shaky, but he has good stuff and maybe the night off helped him. He never even got up in the bullpen. 
• Gio Gonzalez hurt his ankle and the Brewers are likely to remove from from the NLCS roster. That gives them a new and fresh pitcher to add to the mix. Chase Anderson and Zach Davies are the most likely options and they are starters. 
• Joakim Soria threw four pitches in Game 3 and 14 in Game 4. He should be fine. 
• Corbin Burnes threw two innings in Game 4, but it was only 22 pitches after he had two days' rest. He can surely go again. 

Now, on the negative end. 

• Josh Hader only threw eight pitches in Game 3, but in Game 4 he threw 20 and he's not been very good when overused. If manager Craig Counsell can avoid using him, knowing there will be a Game 6, that's the best route. 
• Corey Knebel is probably available, but he threw 19 pitches in Game 3 and 18 in Game 4. My hunch is Counsell would like to avoid him if possible but in a close game we'll definitely see him. 
• Junior Guerra (51 pitches in Game 4) and Freddy Peralta (48) are surely going to be out. 

Still, it's only two definitely not available and they aren't the big guns. Even if Counsell would like to avoid Hader and/or Knebel, he has other quality options. 

LCS games will air on Fox, FS1 and TBS, which can be streamed on fuboTV (Try for free). For a look at the complete schedule, click here.    

Dodgers

Dave Roberts emptied his bullpen in Game 4. The only pitchers who didn't see action where Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Kershaw gets the ball to start Game 5 and the Dodgers definitely could use more than three innings from him this time around. So, yes, he'll once again have the brightest light shining on him entering the game. 

As for the bullpen, most of them should be fine. Only Alex Wood (15 pitches) and Dylan Floro (21) were used in Game 3, so everyone else had at least two days of rest before the marathon bout. 

As such, none of the following relievers used in Game 4 will be going in Game 5 overly taxed: Pedro Baez (13 pitches, so he's fine), Kenta Maeda (three), Caleb Ferguson (six), Ryan Madson (14, again, this is OK), Kenley Jansen (34, but it's Kenley and it's the playoffs) and Julio Urias (14). 

Wood threw 16 pitches in Game 4 and Floro threw 11. Three straight games in the teens or early 20s happens in the regular season at times with certain relievers. 

Basically, I think the entire Dodgers bullpen is available in Game 5, despite Roberts emptying it in Game 4. Wood and Floro are probably at the back of the line, but they can be used. 

Meantime, the Brewers are down at least two and maybe three (Hader) or even four (Knebel), though I don't think I'd say they are in bad shape. 

In looking at how the pitching set up, the advantage was on the Brewers' end after Game 3, but it's switched to the Dodgers' side now in front of Game 5. Such is the fun of nitpicking every little thing in an unpredictable game during a seven-game series. 

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