Ben Casparius has quickly established himself as a key and reliable figure in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen, despite having only pitched 30 career innings for the team. His recent performance in Sunday’s 9-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium underscored this, as his scoreless relief outing helped the Dodgers maintain control of the game.
The Dodgers relied on Casparius to handle a significant portion of what became an impromptu bullpen game. He has been impressive in his first full Major League season, posting a 2.91 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 11 appearances.
Notably, Casparius has demonstrated exceptional control and effectiveness. His 27.6% chase percentage ranks in the 93rd percentile, and his 4.2% walk percentage is in the top 10% among qualified pitchers. In Sunday’s game, he struck out five batters (three looking) and did not issue a walk in 5 1/3 innings, throwing 36 strikes out of 54 pitches. This was his ninth career walk-free game.
Manager Dave Roberts praised Casparius’s composure and performance: “He’s unflappable,” Roberts said. “He flooded the strike zone, and he saved our tails today. Our bullpen’s in a great spot going into this next series. The bullpen’s just done a fantastic job this year.”
Casparius’s rise to the Major Leagues has been rapid since being selected in the fifth round of the 2021 amateur draft. After three outings and 8 1/3 innings with two earned runs after August 2024, he earned a spot on the postseason rosters. He played a crucial role in the National League Championship Series and World Series, pitching 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the Mets in three games and delivering a two-inning start in Game 4 against the Yankees, which helped preserve relievers for the title-winning Game 5.
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