Ben Casparius emerged as a surprise option to become a valuable contributor out of the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen late in the 2024 season.
Casparius parlayed his success from 2024 into another opportunity to pitch in the Majors this year and has picked up where he left off. He began the season with nine scoreless innings through his first six appearances of the season.
Casparius has added value as a multi-inning reliever, posting three consecutive two-inning outings from April 2-8.
Then Casparius had his first hiccup of the season against the Chicago Cubs on April 12, as they tagged him for six runs in 1.2 innings.
It was clear Casparius didn’t have his best stuff that night, and the issue was exacerbated by the game already being out of reach for the Dodgers, leaving them little choice but to keep him out there on the mound.
Thus, a current 4.61 ERA is not reflective of how well Casparius has pitched this season.
An appearance on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies was his first since taking some lumps in the Cubs game. The results were much improved as Casparius was able to give the Dodgers three big innings to help make up for a short start by Bobby Miller.
“I think a couple of mechanical hiccups the past couple weeks. And obviously, just with the ebbs and flows, it’s going to happen. So just get back out there, simplify everything, and I felt really good tonight,” Casparius said.
The Dodgers converted Casparius from a starter to a reliever when they called him up last year, though he has Minor League bullpen experience, making him a perfect fit as a long reliever.
“I think for me, the routine stays the same. It’s just maybe try to get my prep work in closer to game time, doing a little bit more throwing in that regard, and just kind of being ready for when they call my name,” he said.
The three innings Casparius threw on Wednesday represented his longest appearance of the season. He has been one of the Dodgers’ most reliable multi-inning relief options this season along with fellow rookie standout Jack Dreyer.
Dreyer’s presence and the veteran leadership in the bullpen has created a strong environment for Casparius in his first full season in the Majors.
“Yeah, it’s awesome. And obviously, to see Jack having all the success he’s having going through the organization with him as a close friend, it’s been really cool,” Casparius said.
“And being able to bounce ideas off of veteran guys, pretty much across the board, it’s been great and a blessing for me. I can keep learning every single day from it.”
Ben Casparius takes pride in helping pitching staff
The Dodgers rotation ranks 24th in terms of innings thrown, and there have been five instances of starters failing to pitch longer than three innings through the team’s first 20 games.
That has put a lot on the shoulders of the Dodgers bullpen and has forced the likes of Casparius and Dreyer to step up. While it contributes to a heavy workload for Casparius, he actually welcomes the challenge and enjoys the chance to help out his teammates.
“It’s great. I think that’s probably my biggest joy in doing that,” he said. “Just being in this role come in whether we’re down a couple runs, or up a couple at this point, but just to be able to add some relief for the guys, give some of our other guys a break and going into the off day, I think it’s huge.”
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