Dodgers Announce Big Change Before Brewers Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated Oct 13, 2025 12:53 PM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers are entering the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers with a chance to capture the franchise’s fifth pennant in the last nine seasons. The Dodgers have consistently made deep postseason runs over the past decade, and a huge reason for that has been their depth and flexibility.

Navigating injuries, adjusting roles and leaning on emerging talent have all contributed to Los Angeles’ reputation for adapting without sacrificing competitiveness. The Dodgers have done just that in the postseason, adapting to the absence of All-Star catcher Will Smith, who was dealing with a fractured right hand. The team leaned on trade acquisition Ben Rortvedt to step in when necessary behind the plate.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16).© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Heading into Game 1 of the NLCS, the Dodgers announced the 26-man roster and it featured a big change. "Here’s your 26-man roster for the NLCS," the team wrote on X.

Los Angeles replaced rookie backstop Dalton Rushing with right-handed pitcher Ben Casparius. The move indicates Los Angeles is confident in Smith’s ability to field his position at catcher along with the trust in Rortvedt as his backup. Rushing managed just one pinch-hit appearance despite being active for the first two rounds of the postseason.

The move also allows the organization to add more pitching depth in Casparius, who has the ability to log multiple innings.

Here’s your 26-man roster for the NLCS. pic.twitter.com/qxocp0WMcU
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 13, 2025

Casparius debuted for the Dodgers in 2024 and made the roster heading into 2025. The 26-year-old started off the year strong, posting a 2.91 ERA in 11 appearances in March/April. However, his efficiency dropped off as the season progressed, leading to his demotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City. He finished the season with the Dodgers at 7-5 with a 4.64 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings. The Dodgers hope that Casparius has refined his mechanics and can be a reliable option out of the bullpen.

Casparius will look to provide an impact to a successful run so far. The Dodgers swept the Cincinnati Reds in the wild-card round and took down the Philadelphia Phillies in four games in the NLDS. Starting pitching has been excellent, with strong outings from Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto anchoring the rotation.

However, the bullpen has been shaky at times, with late-inning control issues surfacing in both series. Adding another arm gives Los Angeles more flexibility as it prepares for a Brewers lineup that thrives on grinding out at-bats and pressuring relievers.

Game 1 of the NLCS is set for 8:08 p.m. ET Monday in Milwaukee on TBS.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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