Edgardo Henriquez Nears NLDS Return After Final Bullpen Test
Edgardo Henriquez appears to be one successful test away from becoming available for the Dodgers’ National League Division Series bullpen.
Henriquez will face hitters in another live batting-practice or simulated-game session during the Dodgers’ bye-week workouts. If he completes that outing without experiencing another issue with his lower back, Dave Roberts expects the hard-throwing right-hander to be ready for Saturday.
“He’ll throw another live or sim game to some hitters,” Roberts said. “Then he should be ready to go.”
Henriquez was officially activated from the 15-day injured list Tuesday, but the Dodgers must still decide whether to include him on their 26-player NLDS roster.
All signs currently point toward that happening if he clears his final physical test.
Dodgers Encouraged By Henriquez’s Recovery
Henriquez landed on the injured list September 14 with lower-back discomfort, ending his regular season prematurely.
The injury was later described as a low-grade strain. Although the Dodgers remained hopeful that he could return in October, the timing left Henriquez with little room for a setback.
Securing a first-round bye gave him five additional days to recover and complete the throwing progression he could not finish before the regular season ended.
Henriquez has already faced hitters once during his recovery. Brandon Gomes said that session went well and that the reliever did not experience lingering discomfort afterward.
“He’s trending really well at this point,” Gomes said. “His last live BP went well. He’s responding positively after he throws and isn’t feeling any lingering discomfort.”
Gomes added that Henriquez still had several steps to complete but said the expectation was for him to make the NLDS roster if everything continued progressing properly.
Henriquez Gives Dodgers A Different Type Of Power
Roberts did not minimize what Henriquez could add to the postseason bullpen.
“Huge impact,” Roberts said. “Given the body of work, what he’s done, the unique skill set, he could be huge for us. He will be huge for us.”
That unique skill set begins with one of the most powerful fastballs in baseball.
Henriquez averaged approximately 100.7 mph with his fastball during the regular season and reached 103.6 mph on a strikeout pitch in September.
But his value goes beyond raw velocity.
The 24-year-old finished the regular season with a 2.85 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 71 strikeouts against 25 walks over 60 innings. He allowed only 37 hits and one home run across 61 appearances.
Henriquez also limited opposing hitters to a 27.1 percent hard-hit rate while generating a 29.3 percent strikeout rate.
That combination allowed him to become one of the Dodgers’ most dependable high-leverage options before the back injury.
Return Would Deepen Dodgers’ Late-Inning Options
The Dodgers enter October without plans to designate one reliever as their exclusive closer.
Roberts is expected to manage the bullpen according to matchups and leverage, creating late-inning opportunities for several pitchers.
Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, Edwin Díaz and Evan Phillips are among the relievers who could receive important outs. A healthy Henriquez would add another legitimate option capable of overpowering hitters when the game is on the line.
His presence would also make it easier for Roberts to avoid overworking the same two or three arms during a short series.
The Dodgers will not finalize their NLDS roster until Saturday. They must decide how many pitchers to carry and which relievers best fit their matchup against either Atlanta or Philadelphia.
Henriquez still needs to complete his upcoming session and respond well the following day.
If he does, Roberts made it clear that the Dodgers believe his power belongs in their October bullpen.
How much would a healthy Edgardo Henriquez change your confidence in the Dodgers’ late-inning relief options?