Dave Roberts’ controversial bullpen decisions backfire in Dodgers’ Game 4 World Series blowup

One night after pushing all the right bullpen buttons to navigate an 18-inning walk-off Game 3 win, Dave Roberts didn’t have the same deft touch Tuesday night.

Roberts earned backlash for pulling starter Shohei Ohtani in the seventh inning with men on for a pair of ineffective relievers in the 6-2 loss to the Blue Jays that evened the World Series at 2-2.

Anthony Banda and Blake Treinen allowed two inherited runners to score and two more to score to turn a 2-1 deficit into a five-run hole.

“I just don’t know how you even think of going to Treinen in this situation with the game still in reach,” popular Dodgers X account @BlakeHHarris posted.

The Dodgers’ bullpen had to cover 13 1/3 innings to outlast the Blue Jays in Game 3, which had a carryover effect into Game 4 since certain options would be limited.

Vladimir Guerrero’s two-run homer off Ohtani in the third gave Toronto a 2-1 lead that held into the seventh, when Ohtani allowed a single and double to put men at second and third with no outs.

Ohtani had only thrown 93 pitches and allowed six hits and one walk at that point, but Roberts turned to unheralded southpaw Banda since two of the next three hitters batted lefty.

One argument against the switch would have been that Banda entered the game with a 7.36 ERA this postseason, including a three-run blip in Game 1, and is not in Ohtani’s class as a pitcher.

“It just kind of happened right there where I just felt we needed to find a way to get a punchout and trying to get Banda on three lefties,” Roberts said of pulling Ohtani. “Obviously, they hit (Ty) France at the top for (Nathan) Lukes, but, yeah, (Ohtani) gave us a good effort, he really did.”

Banda immediately allowed an RBI single to lefty Andres Gimenez to push the lead to 3-1, and France later added an RBI groundout to make it a 4-1 game.

After an intentional walk to Guerrero, Roberts then went to his bullpen again and turned to the struggling veteran Treinen.

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While Treinen has had many big moments for the Dodgers, he entered the game with a 9.00 ERA this postseason.

Treinen allowed RBI singles to Bo Bichette and Addison Barger to turn a manageable three-run deficit into a 6-1 hole that all but slammed the door shut on the Dodgers.

“Everyone in the stadium knew what was going to happen when Treinen came in except the guy who brought him in,” tweeted Lakers content creator @AnthonyIrwinLA.

The Dodgers will now turn to Blake Snell in Game 5 on Wednesday night against Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage in a Game 1 rematch.

Snell took the loss in that game by allowing five runs in five innings, while Yesavage earned a no-decision after exiting following four innings of two-run ball.

Should the Dodgers need some big outs from their bullpen again, it’s possible Banda and Treinen may not find themselves called on in big spots after Tuesday’s debacle.