Throughout their 138-year franchise history and most certainly in their 63 seasons in Los Angeles, the Dodgers have a remarkable history of having some of the best relief pitchers to have ever played the game. In fact, back in the day (as they say), it was not uncommon for a pitcher to enter a game in relief and then start a game a few days later; most notably three-time Dodgers World Series champion and two-time All-Star right-hander Clem Labine, who pitched for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1950 to 1962.

Along the way, the term ‘closer’ became an actual position among relievers and soon became the most popular pitcher in every team’s bullpen, thanks in no small part to Hall of Fame right-handed closer Mariano Rivera.

It didn’t take long before the Dodgers had a long line of well-known and very successful closers; guys like Labine, Jim Brewer, Jay Howell, Eric Gagné, and, of course, current Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen.

But behind every successful closer (or in front of, actually) are a corps of relievers who not only set the stage for the glory boys but who often benefit from their dominant work. These guys rarely get the ink (or facetime) that their closer colleagues do, but they are – to the man – every bit as important to the success of every Major League bullpen.

Although Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts shuffle their bullpen arms around almost daily, as of this writing (and it could very well change before this article posts) that bullpen currently consists of (alphabetically):

• Phil Bickford
• Justin Bruihl
• Brusdar Graterol
• Conner Greene
• Kenley Jansen
• Corey Knebel
• Blake Treinen
• Edwin Uceta
• Alex Vesia

Veteran left-hander David Price and right-handed newcomer Mitch White have also been used out of the Dodgers bullpen, but with future Hall of Fame left-hander Clayton Kershaw and right-hander Dustin May currently on the IL, and with troubled right-hander Trevor Bauer currently suspended by MLB, they are also being used as spot starters, which is expected to continue moving forward.

But it’s the guy at the top of this list (again, alphabetical) who has, for the most part, remained under the media hype and hoopla radar, yet, over the past month or so, has been the very backbone – and workhorse – of the Dodgers bullpen – Phil Bickford.

The 25-year-old Ventura, CA native was initially drafted in the first round in 2013 by the Toronto Blue Jays out of Oaks Christian High School in Westlake, CA, but elected to play college ball at the College of Southern Nevada in Henderson, NV. He was again drafted in the first round in 2015 by the San Francisco Giants, with whom he signed. The Giants traded Bickford to the Milwaukee Brewers on August 1, 2016, who placed him on waivers this season. Friedman and the Dodgers immediately claimed him off waivers on May 3, 2021. The rest, as they say, is history.

Bickford made his Dodgers debut on May 23, 2021, tossing 0.2 of a hitless and scoreless inning. He has since appeared in 38 games, all in relief, and owns a 2-1 record and excellent 2.52 ERA over his 35.2 innings pitched in a Dodger uniform. He has struck out 42 while walking 13 and has allowed 10 runs (eight earned) on 24 hits, of which two were home runs.

After tossing seven brilliant innings against the New York Mets at Citi Field on Saturday evening during which he allowed only one run on four hits while walking three and striking out 10, Dodgers right-hander and Cy Young hopeful Walker Buehler was relieved by 25-year-old left-hander Alex Vesia, who did not allow a run or hit in his 1.1 innings of work. With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Roberts replaced Vesia with Bickford, who also did not allow a run or hit in the tied 1-1 ballgame. Bickford retired all four Mets batters he faced, doing so on 13 pitches, of which 10 were strikes.

“I think it speaks to the clubhouse environment, the organizational environment, I think that they’ve been shown nothing but love and support, and they’re just kind of really coming into their own and just being comfortable in their own skin in a big-league ballpark,” Roberts answered when asked how he has seen Vesia and Bickford grow over the last month. “They’ve been a huge part of where we’re at and tonight, obviously. So the teammates, the coaches, the organization, it’s just really fun to see those guys who, before the start of the season, I didn’t know who they were, and to play such an impactful role. It’s really fun to see.”

As so often happens in the whacky world of baseball, neither Buehler nor Vesia figured in the decision in the Dodgers’ second consecutive extra-inning win in Queens. That honor went to … yep, Phil Bickford, who was the beneficiary of an RBI double down the right field line by Dodgers centerfielder Cody Bellinger, scoring automatic runner Corey Seager from second base in the top of the 10th inning.

With Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen unavailable (having pitched two innings the night before), and with Bickford having struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the 10th, Roberts called upon right-hander Corey Knebel to get the final out of the game – a grounder to Dodgers replacement first baseman Albert Pujols, who tossed the ball to Knebel for the out.

Although the game today is nothing like it was in the days of Clem Labine and Jim Brewer (i.e., no free agency), it is impossible to predict where Bickford will spend the majority of his major league career. However, having grown up a Dodger fan in nearby Ventura, there is a pretty good chance that he will remain a Dodger for a while.

…and Dodgers fans have to feel pretty good about that.

Play Ball!

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