Adam Liberatore J.P. Howell hand in left handed hand

Phil Gurnee ♦ July 11, 2016 ♦ Leave a comment

Adam Liberatore is breaking  LAD scoreless appearance records in 2016 that J.P. Howell was setting in 2015. Adam has appeared in 38 games this year, and given up a run only one time. He’s made 24 straight scoreless appearances. His strand rate is 92%. He’s been what J.P Howell was last year at just about the same time when Howell was setting the record of thirty-six appearances without giving up an “earned run”.

Liberatore and Howell give the Dodgers a dimension they have not had in the past two years. Two left-handed relievers that can currently be relied upon to shut down the opposition. Howell has not given up a run in almost a month. Combined these two have not given up a run since June 14th, which encompasses nineteen appearances (Howell – 9 , Liberatore – 10).

Other left handed possibilities for the bullpen in 2016 include:

• The Dodgers have just started to use Julio Urias in the bullpen in AAA, for what I hope will be an extended run in the bullpen in Sept. Urias’s only blemish was his pitch counts which wouldn’t be a factor in the bullpen. Am I counting too much on a 20 year 0ld (he’ll be 20 in August)?
• Alex Wood will be back in a few weeks, with no apparent place in the rotation given that Kershaw will have already shoved one of the current rotation pieces (Norris?) into the bullpen. Alex Wood could also be a nice left handed piece for the bullpen.

For once the 2016 bullpen just might have the southpaws they need come October.