It’s a tough topic that no one likes to talk about – Who’s In and Who’s Out.

Over the past several weeks, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has repeatedly said during his daily pre and postgame Zoom press conferences: “Performance matters.”

There is no kind or gentle way to say this, but the performance of 29-year-old Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood since returning from the injured list on September 1 for left shoulder inflammation sucks.

In the nine games in which the Charlotte, NC native and second-round draft pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2012 has appeared in – all in relief – Wood has allowed eight earned runs on 14 hits, including five doubles and one home run in the 9.2 innings he has pitched since his return. That equates to a dismal 7.45 ERA.

Two of those earned runs came on Saturday night when Wood was handed a comfortable 7-4 lead to begin the eighth inning. And although he escaped that frame allowing no runs and only one walk while striking out one, the proverbial wheels fell off when he went back out to close out the game in the ninth.

After striking out Angels centerfielder Jo Adell to leadoff the inning, Angels second baseman Jahmai Jones reached on a throwing error by Dodgers third baseman Edwin Rios. Wood then gave up back-to-back doubles to Angels shortstop Elliot Soto and third baseman David Fletcher, on which Jones and Soto scored to make it a one-run game; thus ending Wood’s night … and possible Dodgers career.

Dodgers left-hander Adam Kolarek replaced Wood with one out and the tying run on second and immediately got into trouble himself, allowing an infield single to Angels right fielder Jared Walsh on which Dodgers shortstop Chris Taylor made a spectacular defensive play to prevent Fletcher from scoring what would have been the tying run. He then got ever-dangerous Angels first baseman and future Hall of Famer Albert Pulos to line out to Dodgers right fielder Kiké Hernandez, on which Fletcher took third. But Kolarek got Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani to hit a comebacker to end the threat and the game.

The point to all of this is that if Roberts holds true to his “Performance matters” statement, and with a stable full of very good relievers, it is unlikely that Wood, who becomes a free agent at the conclusion of this season, will be on the Dodgers playoff roster and may have appeared in his final game in Dodger Blue.

Play Ball!

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