Brewers bullpen’s record-breaking performance showcases depth of NLCS pitching staff

The Milwaukee Brewers' sequel effort in their NLCS battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers is going far smoother than the original, as the Crew have successfully defended their home turf and are taking a 2-0 lead to the West Coast. In fact, things are going so poorly for the Dodgers that they're seriously considering whether or not they should bench laboring superstar Shohei Ohtani.

But more than the overarching storylines, there was a certain feeling in that Game 2 win that was just... different. Maybe it seemed ethereal while the game was actually being played, but the Brewers took on a kind of invincible aura that is usually reserved for World Series winners.

Well, that wasn't your eye playing tricks on you. The Brewers, for five glorious innings, actually were invincible. Or, at least their bullpen was.

In relief of Logan Henderson, a quartet of relievers -- Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe, and Aaron Ashby -- completed five perfect innings to secure the Game 2 win. Those 15 outs without a blemish set an all-time postseason record for a bullpen, further driving home the point that this team can beat you in every possible way.

Brewers unleash their perfectly crafted bullpen on Dodgers in Game 2 masterpiece

"Bullpen depth" is thrown around so frivolously as a concept near the trade deadline that it tends to lose its meaning by the time the postseason rolls around. You obviously need pitchers who can get outs once a starter comes out of the game; every team in the league falls into that bucket.

Hence why you see so many would-be contenders fall short with lackluster relief corps. The Chicago Cubs, for instance, had maybe one or two reliable relievers by the time they got to the Wild Card Round. That was never going to fly against the super-humans coming out of the San Diego Padres' bullpen.

Where the Brewers excel is in "quality bullpen depth," which sounds far simpler than it is. Sure, it'd be nice to have a group consisting of eight Mason Millers, but that doesn't exist. The key to building a good playoff bullpen is acquiring versatile pitchers who can succeed in a variety of situations and aren't one-trick ponies.

That philosophy was on full display in Game 2. Dustin May, who started Game 3 of the NLDS, came into a messy situation in the fifth inning and didn't allow any additional hitters to reach base. Then, JoJo Romero (with whom he was acquired from the Cardinals over the summer) came in and held the heart of the order (Ohtani, Will Smith, and Max Muncy) in check.

As he's been wont to do this postseason, Abner Uribe came out of the 'pen early in the seventh and recorded three straight outs. He followed that up with a strikeout to start the eighth before ceding the ball to Aaron Ashby, who blitzed the Dodgers' best hitters and closed out the game without incident.

Keep in mind, all of that success came without closer Trevor Megill. With the Padres out of the picture, there's no bullpen left standing that can stack up to this level of versatility and quality. It's no stretch to say that such a fact makes the Brewers the favorites to win it all from here on out.

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