Yohan Ramirez was a great story for the Dodgers earlier this season. However, he has started to falter lately and Dave Roberts can no longer rely on him to get Los Angeles out of tough situations.
Ramirez made his Dodgers debut on May 21 and allowed no runs on two hits in 2.0 innings against the Diamondbacks. He struggled badly on May 24, allowing three runs on three hits with one walk and two hit batters without recording an out against the Reds.
Roberts spoke to Ramirez again a couple of days later and again Ramirez struggled to find the zone, hitting a pair of batters and allowing another hit. The Dodgers manager went to the mound in a viral moment and chatted for a long time with the reliever before Ramirez finished the inning.
That outing set off a string of consistently solid performances from the big right-hander. From May 29 through June 15, he appeared in nine games and pitched 12.0 innings, allowing six hits, one earned run and three walks while striking out nine. His ERA to that point was 1 for Ramirez, and it’s becoming less and less justifiable for Roberts to turn to him with leads and games on the line.
From June 18 to July 14 (the start of the All-Star break), Ramirez pitched 13.0 innings in 13 appearances. He allowed 17 hits and seven earned runs in those outings and opponents batted an impressive .321 off him.
Roberts counted on him again Saturday against the Red Sox in Ramirez’s first start since the second half resumed. Los Angeles led 1-0 when he entered the game with no one on base and one out in the fourth.
He managed to get out of the inning, but not before allowing three hits and two runs (both earned), with one walk and one strikeout. That brings his ERA since June 18 to 6.13 in 14 starts.
This isn’t to say Ramirez shouldn’t be in the bullpen. He’s still striking out batters at a good clip, and his control hasn’t suddenly eluded him. Both are signs that he could get back on track at some point. Nor is it to say that Ramirez lost the game for the Dodgers by allowing two runs in the fifth inning.
He was instrumental in the two late losses to the Tigers to close out the first half, though, hence much of this. Saturday was a great chance for him to get back on track in a low-leverage situation, and he still struggled to get outs.
Ramirez has some things to sort out, and if he does, he will have proven this year that he can be a nice piece for the Los Angeles bullpen. For now, though, he’s not that guy, and Roberts can’t continue to rely on him to be one.
