Dodgers to Remove Pitcher From Starting Rotation Amid Struggles

The Los Angeles Dodgers are planning to move right-handed pitcher Ben Casparius out of the rotation after the Houston Astros scored six runs during his three innings on Friday.

Casparius has allowed three or more runs in his last three appearances, and has allowed six in his last two. Casparius allowed three homers on Friday, the most he has allowed in a single game this season.

“To get him into the starter role, it was out of need, and he did that. But getting him back in the ’pen and shortening him up, I think the stuff will play a little bit more too,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

Casparius has allowed a run in just one of his seven outings that have lasted one inning or less. He has 15 scoreless performances this season, and just four of those extend beyond two innings.

“I think that there’s some familiarity to it, to the hitters, trying to go two times through a lineup. But to be quite honest, the stuff – there isn’t as much swing-and-miss," Roberts said of Casparius.

"There’s not the quick outs that he was getting out of the ’pen. Obviously, when you’re a starter, there’s more preparation that goes into the other side, as far as preparing for a starting pitcher versus a reliever. So I think there’s some in that. But at the end of the day, he’s just got to execute better. There might have been 60 throws tonight, and probably only a handful executed where he wanted them to be. And that’s tough to do.”

The right-hander has mainly served as the pitcher who follows up Shohei Ohtani, who has begun serving as an opener as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery. Casparius has allowed 11 runs across his three appearances following Ohtani.

As a relief pitcher this season, Casparius has a 2.81 FIP, which ranks higher than Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

The Dodgers hope that Casparius can continue his dominance as a reliever without letting his recent starts get to him as their expected starting rotation returns from the injured list.