The Dodgers and Main League Baseball each introduced an injury-related substitution on Los Angeles’ NLDS roster. Proper-hander Michael Grove has been eliminated in favor of fellow righty Ben Casparius. No specifics got on Grove’s harm throughout the press launch, however Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts instructed reporters (together with David Vassegh of 570 AM Radio) that Grove is coping with a shoulder harm.
Grove got here out of the bullpen in Sunday’s Recreation 2, and he allowed a Xander Bogaerts solo homer earlier than placing out Jake Cronenworth to finish the highest of the eighth inning. These have been Grove’s solely two batters confronted, and whereas the inning break appeared like the explanation for his elimination from the sport, it could possibly be that his shoulder downside necessitated one other pitching change. With the Dodgers down 7-1 after eight innings, a wholesome Grove may’ve eaten yet another inning of mop-up work.
Working as a starter, reliever, and swingman since his MLB debut in 2022, Grove has a 5.48 ERA over 149 1/3 profession innings within the majors, together with a 5.12 ERA in 51 frames in 2024. His secondary numbers paints a considerably extra promising image than his ERA, although Grove has damage his trigger by being just a little homer-prone. Accidents have additionally been an element, as he has missed time in every of the 2 seasons with lat-related points, in addition to a groin pressure that sidelined him for about six weeks of the 2023 marketing campaign. The Dodgers have additionally liberally moved Grove up and down between the majors and Triple-A, so he hasn’t had a ton of time to settle into an enormous league position.
League guidelines dictate that if a workforce makes an harm substitution on a sequence roster, the injured participant can be ineligible for the next sequence. Grove subsequently isn’t capable of play within the NLCS if the Dodgers advance previous the Padres, although his well being is the bigger concern usually, given the ominous nature of shoulder-related discomfort. Los Angeles has already needed to navigate a ton of pitching accidents all through the season and into October, so Grove’s absence leaves the membership quick one other arm.
It does present fairly the chance for Casparius, who solely simply made his large league debut again on August 31. A fifth-round choose for the Dodgers within the 2021 draft, Casparius has pitched in all of three MLB video games, and he has a 2.16 ERA and a formidable 32.4% strikeout charge over 8 1/3 innings. He additionally has a ten.8% stroll charge, which tracks with the moderately so-so management Casparius exhibited over 4 minor league seasons. The Dodgers aren’t doubtless to make use of Casparius in any high-leverage conditions in the course of the NLDS, and it’s potential he doesn’t see any motion in any respect within the sequence barring one other lopsided rating.
In different notable harm information for L.A., Freddie Freeman is in tonight’s beginning lineup for Recreation 3. Freeman’s makes an attempt to play via a extreme left ankle sprain and bone bruise appeared to take a downturn when he made an early exit from Recreation 2, however Roberts instructed reporters (together with Sportnet’s Hazel Mae) that Freeman accomplished his pregame preparations with out subject. “It’s a go as of now….except I hear in any other case, he’s going to be in there,” Roberts mentioned.
