MLB Playoffs: Dodgers Make Rare Roster Move Ahead of NLDS Game 3

The Los Angeles Dodgers will have a new pitcher available to them in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday as they look to avenge their 10-2 loss to the San Diego Padres.

Major League Baseball announced it has approved a roster substitution due to an unspecified injury sustained by right-handed pitcher Michael Grove. As a result, Grove will be replaced by right-handed pitcher Ben Casparius on the Dodgers’ 26-man roster.

MLB’s Medical Director, Dr. Gary Green, confirmed the injury after a full review of the medical information according to a press release by the league.

MLB Postseason rules provide that a team may request permission from the Commissioner’s Office to replace a player who is unable to play because of an injury. The Commissioner’s Office may approve or disapprove the request based on the specific facts and circumstances.

In accordance with the rules, Grove will be ineligible to return in the National League Championship Series if the Dodgers participate, but he would be eligible to return for the World Series if Los Angeles qualifies.

The mandate that players be required to miss the entirety of the following series effectively acts as a deterrent for more frequent roster substitutions in the middle of a series.

The Dodgers visit the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Tuesday night.

Grove, 27, made the transition from primarily a starting pitcher to a relief role in 2024. Some early-season struggles with that transition left the right-hander with a 4-4 record and a 5.12 ERA in 39 appearances for the season. But his slider was an effective pitch, allowing him to earn a spot on the Dodgers’ 26-man roster for the series.

Casparius, 25, only made his major league debut on Aug. 31. A 2021 draft pick, Casparius was pressed into service by a number of injuries that befell the Dodgers’ pitching staff over the course of the season. He made three appearances and allowed only two runs across 8.1 innings, all in relief.

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The Dodgers used 40 different pitchers over the course of the 2024 season. None made more than 25 starts or threw more than 140.1 innings. The losses of Clayton Kershaw (shoulder, bone spur), Tyler Glasnow (elbow), and Gavin Stone (shoulder) effectively wiped out three of their more prominent starting rotation options for the postseason.

Rookies River Ryan and Kyle Hurt were among the next pitchers up in case of injury, but both had season-ending Tommy John surgery as well. That created an opening for Casparius in the regular season.

Now, the injury to Grove has created an opportunity for Casparius in the postseason as well.

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