The Dodgers bullpen hasn’t exactly been their strongest asset, and it is a key reason why LA blew a nine-game first-place lead over the Padres. The bullpen has struggled so much that it seems there is very little that can be done to fix it quickly. There is serious concern that the Dodgers could lose the division to the Padres if they aren’t careful.

“What happened was the Dodgers’ belief in the recovering health of their bullpen. And, um, yeah, unless you want to bring Bobby Miller up from Oklahoma City to close games (not a bad idea, eh?), it’s not getting fixed anytime soon,” Los Angeles Times’ Bill Plasche wrote.

There is some good news for the bullpen, though, as the upcoming weekend series against the Padres is fast approaching. The Dodgers are likely to get Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates back this weekend.

“Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates each pitched an inning for OKC last night. Per Dave Roberts they will “probably not” make another rehab appearance and could join Dodgers at some point during series in San Diego this weekend,” Dodgers writer Bill Plunkett posted.
This is huge news for the Dodgers, as this weekend is crucial for both San Diego and LA. Yates has been on the injured list since the end of July.

“The Dodgers placed Yates on the 15-day injured list Friday due to lower back pain, retroactive to July 29. Yates hasn’t made an appearance since this past Saturday against the Red Sox, and that absence was due to a back injury. He’s been a steady presence out of the Dodgers’ bullpen,” CBS Sports wrote.