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Dodgers make pitching roster moves as season winds down

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Joshua Valdez | Last updated Sep 28, 2024 6:42 PM ET

With the playoffs approaching, the Los Angeles Dodgers are deciding which pitchers to use in October. Despite right-hander Ben Casparius’ quality outing Friday night, he may not be one of them.

Los Angeles replaced him with a Triple-A pitcher, via the club’s social media.

“The Dodgers recalled LHP Justin Wrobleski and optioned RHP Ben Casparius,” the team announced.

Casparius earned the victory on Friday against the Colorado Rockies, fanning seven hitters and allowing one earned run over 4.1 innings of relief work. However, the Dodgers need to fill innings for the remaining two games, both of which are meaningless to the team outside of clinching the NL’s top seed. Casparius wasn’t available due to his elongated outing.

Wrobleski steps in as a fresh arm for the fifth time since July. The southpaw has a 6.40 ERA in seven MLB outings this year, including six starts, with 22 strikeouts and 14 walks. The 24-year-old also had a 3.76 ERA in 20 games between Double and Triple-A this season, with 104 strikeouts and 31 walks.

Will Wrobleski pitch for the Dodgers in October?

Justin Wrobleski still needs development on the Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) delivers to the plate in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium. © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts spoke on Wrobleski’s development when he got sent down in early September, via SB Nation’s Eric Stephen.

“He had a quick ascent to the big leagues. I love the compete, he’s not afraid,” Roberts said. “The stuff is there, but there’s as many balls as there are strikes. He’s got to learn to make quality pitches, but he’ll learn that in time.”

The Dodgers drafted both Wrobleski and Casparius in 2021, and while both have shown flashes, they need more seasoning before pitching in crucial moments. While Wrobleski allowed 10 runs against the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 1, he bounced back with two innings of scoreless relief against the Cleveland Guardians on September 7.

Casparius ends his first big-league regular season with a 2.16 ERA across 8.1 innings, while also sporting a 3.35 ERA across 21 minor-league games. Both pitchers look like promising options for Los Angeles in the future but don’t expect too much for this year’s postseason.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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