Category: Baseball

It may be difficult to understand for the average baseball fan, but the Mets, who came into the season with injuries and question marks all over their starting rotation, own the best pitching staff in MLB.

With a 2.80 team-ERA entering Friday night, New York is the only team in the league to have a sub-3.00 ERA. And though the bullpen has been incredible, the starters have stolen the show.

Featuring players like Clay Holmes, a reliever for almost the entirety of his career, Griffin Canning, who only had one season with an ERA below 4.00, and Tylor Megill, who showed flashes with the Mets but struggled to find consistency, New York's starting rotation has been this season's biggest surprise.

The mastermind behind it all has been president of baseball operations David Stearns who has been known to have a knack for finding value, particularly pitching, in seldom looked places. And while he certainly thought the Mets' pitching could be good, even he couldn't foresee what has transpired.

"I don’t know that I could come into a season and say that I expected our starting staff to have a sub-3.00 ERA," Stearns said. "I expected us to have a good starting rotation, a good pitching rotation, but, sure, a sub-3.00 ERA probably exceeds my expectations, especially when you add on the injuries we had in camp."

Coming over from the Milwaukee Brewers where he made a name for himself for becoming the youngest general manager in MLB history, Stearns also proved that he didn't need the biggest payroll to have success as Milwaukee made the playoffs five times during his eight-year tenure with pitching at the forefront.

Although leveling up a tax bracket or two after joining New York and teaming up with owner Steve Cohen, Stearns used a similar principle as his time with the Brewers to assemble the Mets' starting rotation, going after pitchers like Holmes (three-year, $38 million deal), Canning (one-year, $4.25 million deal) and Frankie Montas (two-year, $34 million deal) in free agency.

"But I also saw reason to believe that each of the guys that are in the rotation mix could and would be successful," Stearns continued. "You never know whether it’s going to work, but we had reason to believe for all of them that there were things that they could do things, that in certain cases we could help them do, that would lead them to success and be able to contribute to a winning rotation."

In an age of rising contracts and the wallet to be able to pull the trigger, Stearns instead opted for a different approach, at least for the starting pitching. So far, it's worked out incredibly well.

But Stearns would be the first to say that he doesn't deserve all the credit, giving praise to people like pitching coach Jeremy Hefner whose role in getting the most out of his pitchers cannot be overstated.

"In terms of where Hef comes into this, he’s been outstanding," Stearns said. "Hef, our entire pitching group, Desi [Druschel], [Jose Rosado], Danny Barnes is part of this, our catching infrastructure, [Glenn Sherlock] is part of this, being able to communicate with pitchers, really meeting them where they are, understanding what each pitcher is looking to achieve where they are in their careers, how they want to get better and working with them to help them be the best versions of themselves, and I think Hef does that extremely well and is aided by a really talented group around him as well."

And even though some of the pitchers on the Mets' roster aren't necessarily considered to be top of the line, elite pitchers in the general consensus, Stearns doesn't think it's fair to dismiss the hard work and dedication from the pitchers themselves to get to this point.

After all, each one of them is with the team because they have the talent to be there.

"I think it undersells who these guys are when we look at them or label them as reclamation projects," Stearns said. "The pitchers who have come in here and have had success are really talented major league pitchers and have proven prior to coming here that they are really talented major league pitchers at various points in their careers.

"Maybe not for the sustained periods that they would’ve liked or expected of themselves, but these are very talented pitchers and so that’s the common thread among all of them – they’re good pitchers, they have good stuff, they’ve had success at the major league level and maybe there are things that they had gotten away from. Or maybe there were things that we noticed that we can help them get a little bit better at. But the underlying commonality among all of them is that they’re talented and they come in here and they’ve worked hard and for the most part we’ve had some decent results out of it."

Frankie Montas struggled again in his latest rehab start with the Syracuse Mets. 

Facing the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the right-hander hit the second batter he faced and almost worked his way out of the first inning unscathed -- but a T.J. Rumfield triple brought in the first run of the game. 

Montas was then lit up in the second, and he ended up being pulled without finishing the frame. 

He allowed the first four batters to reach on two singles and two doubles, allowing three more runs before finally getting an out -- but a Jorbit Vivas walk and Everson Pereira double put another tally on the board. 

After an RBI groundout resulted in the second out of the inning, outfielder Brennan Davis crushed a two-run homer to deep left-center, capping off a seven-run inning and bringing his night to an end. 

Montas’ final line: eight runs on seven hits, a walk and a strikeout in just 1.2 innings. 

With just one minor league outing remaining on his rehab assignment, Montas is now up to an ugly 15.43 ERA.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Mets handle the 32-year-old with his continued struggles and a spot in their rotation opening up with Kodai Senga sidelined with a hamstring injury. 

Schmitt's clutch grand slam stuns Dodgers in Giants' crucial win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LOS ANGELES — Giants catcher Andrew Knizner had never caught Logan Webb before Friday’s game, not even in a bullpen session. There was plenty of homework to be done before the game, and it didn’t stop once Webb cruised through the first inning at Dodger Stadium.

Two innings later, Knizner, a Giant for a little over a week, was studying pitches on an iPad in the dugout when he heard a loud crack of the bat. The bases were loaded and Casey Schmitt was at the plate, and when Knizner looked up, he saw the young third baseman striding confidently away from the plate.

“I looked up and I saw Schmitty just kinda pimping it,” Knizner said later, smiling. “Subtle, subtle — but swaggy.”

Schmitt soaked up every moment of his first career grand slam, and why wouldn’t he. It came on a sold-out Friday night at Dodger Stadium. It provided Webb with more than enough support to pick up the win. And it helped the Giants move into a tie for first in the National League West through 70 games.

CASEY SCHMITT GRAND SLAM 💥 pic.twitter.com/rzg1Rxfb9u

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 14, 2025

You have to go back to 2021 to find the last time the Giants had a share of first this late in the season, and while there’s a long way to go, Friday’s 6-2 win over the Dodgers certainly would have fit right in with that 107-win campaign. 

The Dodgers have by far the better lineup, especially with Matt Chapman sidelined. Dominic Smith has been a Giant for just nine games, but he hit cleanup. Knizner started for the injured Patrick Bailey and Schmitt for the injured Chapman. 

The Giants countered with Webb, and he’s as good as it gets right now, but the Dodgers had their own high-priced ace on the mound. Yoshinobu Yamamoto entered with a 2.20 ERA, but the Giants drew three walks with a tight zone in the third inning. The final one came with two outs, and as Schmitt watched Yamamoto pitch to Wilmer Flores, the team’s RBI leader, he felt the free pass was somewhat intentional. 

“It felt like they were trying to put Flo on to get to me in that situation,” Schmitt said. “To be able to come through like that in that situation, that was a big thing for me personally, as well as being able to come through and put the team up.”

Schmitt admitted he took that sequence a little personally. That, in part, explained the subtle, subtle swag. 

“I mean, who wouldn’t, you know?” he said. “But I understand it. It’s the game. But that inner competitor in me, I really wanted that at-bat.”

The slam came a day after Schmitt’s defensive mistake helped prevent the Giants from a sweep at Coors Field, but he said he was able to flush that pretty quickly. Chapman helped, reminding him after Thursday’s loss that he has made plenty of costly errors, too. On Friday, as he conceded that he might miss three or four more weeks with sprained fingers, Chapman said Schmitt would do just fine as the fill-in.

“This is just reps and experience that he can use to help contribute,” he said. “We need him. He’s going to be a big part of our team even when I come back. I think this is a good experience for him.”

Long term, Schmitt, who turned 26 in March, might have to build on this experience elsewhere. He is an elite defensive third baseman, and his greatest tool is somewhat wasted in San Francisco, where the Giants have an all-time defender at the position. They have tried to turn Schmitt into a utility player, and most of his time before the Chapman injury came at first base, a position he picked up on the fly during the first road trip of the season.

That put Schmitt in a difficult spot the first two months of the season. Starts were hard to come by, making it difficult to keep his swing ready. He had a .521 OPS when Chapman went on the IL, but it’s up to .702 after four games at third base. 

“You feel great for him, because the kid works really hard to prepare for a game,” manager Bob Melvin said. “There’s a lot of ability there, both defensively and offensively. The grand slam obviously is the biggest hit of the game and gave Webby a little breathing room.”

Webb ran with it, throwing seven strong to pick up the win. The approach — cutter heavy — was new, but the result was not. He has gone at least seven innings in seven of his 15 starts, including twice this month against NL West rivals Los Angeles and San Diego. 

Webb gave up just five total runs in those six previous seven-inning games, but had two no-decisions and a loss mixed in. Schmitt changed that Friday. 

“Casey has all the tools in the world to be a really good big leaguer and everyone here knows that,” Webb said. “It’s tough. Baseball is a tough game sometimes and sometimes you don’t get a whole lot of opportunity, and with Chappy going down and Casey sliding in, it’s fun to see for him. I love Casey, I’ve been a big fan of his for a long time. It’s cool to see him kind of shine and do his thing.”

On a night when two likely All-Stars were on the mound and the Giants faced the most powerful lineup in the game, it was Schmitt who took center stage. He was looking for something he could handle and got a low splitter from Yamamoto. It left the yard in a hurry, and from there, it was all downhill. 

By the time Schmitt joined a handshake line, the Giants were in a tie for first place, but afterward, the focus was on how they got there Friday, not the standings. 

“Obviously you want to be in first place all the time (but) it’s June 13. There’s a lot of season to go,” Webb said. “We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing, play good baseball, don’t try to do too much. It’s hard if you start looking at standings and stuff like that. You just get lost in it. You’ve just got to try to go out there every day and win the day. That’s what we’re doing right now, which is great, and we’ve just got to keep that momentum going.”

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As the Yankees get set for a three-game series against their rival, the Boston Red Sox, at Fenway Park over the weekend, Giancarlo Stanton remains in Double-A on a rehab assignment.

While Stanton is not in Friday's lineup for the Somerset Patriots for the first time during his rehab after playing three straight days earlier this week, he is expected to play on Saturday, per manager Aaron Boone.

Following Saturday's game, New York is not ruling out the possibility of Stanton joining the team in Boston for the series finale. However, that scenario may be unlikely with Sunday being a day game.

“I’m not necessarily expecting him this weekend, but stranger things have happened," Boone told the media before Friday's game.

In three games for Double-A, Stanton is hitting .273 (3-for-11) with four RBI.

What we learned as Webb gem vs. Dodgers puts Giants in first place  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

LOS ANGELES — Three hours before Friday’s game, a very polite local reporter asked Giants manager Bob Melvin if he could talk about the game plan against Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Melvin smiled and politely declined. 

The game plan was apparently a good one.

Casey Schmitt hit a grand slam in the third and the Giants knocked Yamamoto out in the fifth, rolling to a 6-2 win in their first meeting of the season with the Dodgers. With the victory, their eighth in their last nine games, the Giants moved into a tie atop the National League West. This is the first time since 2021 that they have held a share of the division lead this late in a season.

CASEY SCHMITT GRAND SLAM 💥 pic.twitter.com/rzg1Rxfb9u

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 14, 2025

Schmitt’s first career slam broke the game open, but Logan Webb didn’t need nearly that much help. Webb struck out Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts in the first and cruised from there, taking the lead through the seventh. He allowed just two runs and picked up his fifth career regular season win against the Dodgers. 

Schmitt Happened

After giving an update on his injured right hand Friday, Matt Chapman said the Giants were in good hands at third base and that Schmitt would be a big part of the team even after the starting third baseman returns. That proved to be wildly prophetic. 

By the time Schmitt stepped to the plate in the third, both teams were already fed up with home plate umpire Adam Beck, who had a tight zone and was prone to making delayed strike calls. Both Yamamoto and Webb bent over at the hips early on in frustration over calls, but the Dodger had a particularly hard time with the tight zone. He walked three in the third without looking particularly wild, and Schmitt made him pay. 

With two outs, Yamamoto threw a splitter at the bottom of the zone and Schmitt unloaded. His second homer of the year and road trip left the bat at 108.6 mph and traveled halfway up the bleachers in left. Schmitt knew right away that he had swung the game … 

Yoshinobu Yamamoto walked the bases loaded and Casey Schmitt hit his first career grand slam. He knew it, too: pic.twitter.com/35LzOSv1k1

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) June 14, 2025

Crank It Up

The return to Dodger Stadium seemed to bring a little extra out of Webb. He hit 95 mph three times in the first inning, including on a strikeout of Ohtani. Coming into the game, he had touched 95 just four times in 14 starts, although three of them were in his last start, so perhaps this was just a sign of how good he’s feeling three months into the season.

Webb developed his cutter last year in part because he needed another weapon against the Dodgers, and he threw it a career-high 29 times Friday. The pitch got him 22 strikes and six swinging strikes. 

The top of the order — Ohtani, Betts and Freddie Freeman — was 0-for-8 with a walk and four strikeouts against Webb, who kept his ERA at 2.58. He’s fifth in the NL in ERA, second in innings and third in strikeouts. Paul Skenes is the Cy Young frontrunner and the likely All-Star starter, but Webb is right in the mix for both after 15 starts. 

He Does It At Sea Level, Too

Melvin said before the game that Willy Adames’ recent surge wasn’t just a Coors Field thing. He is seeing a more relaxed version of the shortstop, and the Giants believe that will lead to big things in the weeks and months to come. On Friday, Adames looked like someone who really has turned the corner. 

The Giants got on the board first when Adames hit an opposite-field blast in the first inning, his eighth of the year and third of the road trip. He nearly did it again a few innings later, but his fly ball to deep center died on the track. 

Willy Adames stays HOT with an oppo homer 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RfRMS9lNLQ

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 14, 2025

Adames has raised his OPS to .635. It was .584 when the Giants arrived in Denver earlier this week.

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The Mets’ rotation suffered a big blow on Thursday, as Kodai Senga landed on the IL with a hamstring strain. 

Lucky for them, there are plenty of reinforcements on the way, as Paul Blackburn is set to rejoin the rotation on Tuesday while Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea are progressing well during their rehab assignments. 

New York also has some intriguing options stashed down in the minor leagues. 

Nolan McLean continues to dominate during his first full season as a pitcher, Brandon Sproat is finding his footing after a rough start to the year, and Jonah Tong has been cruising his way through Double-A.  

Blade Tidwell, who made his big-league debut earlier this season against the Cardinals, is also still down in Syracuse and possesses significant upside of his own. 

Though all of the young arms are starting to knock on the door, they seem to be a bit of an afterthought for the organization at the moment, with the amount of depth above them on the big-league roster.  

President of baseball operations David Stearns indicated that they would be considered for a call-up if they continue to dominate -- but they are facing a bit of an uphill battle.

“We're going to make those decisions based exclusively on who and what group of players gives us the best chance to win," Stearns said. "If we have a prospect that we believe gives us the best chance over someone else, we are going to strongly consider that.

“That being said, the volume of established major league pitchers we have makes that a steep hill to climb. We have pitchers at the majors we really believe in, who have proven to pitch at a high level. For a prospect to jump that, especially in a pennant race, is a high bar.”

McLean seems to be the closest to taking that leap with his stretch of dominance.

Sproat is working his way back into the mix after a rough start to the season. He's put together four straight starts with three or less earned runs to bring his ERA down to 5.31 for the year. Still not where it needs to be, but a step in the right direction. 

“He’s getting back to doing some of the things he did well while in Double-A,” Stearns said of Sproat. “He’s attacking hitters and he’s using the entirety of his arsenal pretty well. We saw the curveball come out a little bit more last night, which is important.

“At the appropriate time, he’s leaning on the changeup when that is the needed pitch. He’s not just trying to blow the fastball by guys. This is a talented guy with weapons, and sometimes you just need to learn again and again that you need to lean on your whole arsenal.”

While the Mets are expecting the luxury of reinforcements to their starting rotation in the near future, it appears they'll need to wait even longer for a pair of injured outfielders to return to uniform.

During his latest homestand press conference, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns revealed Friday that bench players Jesse Winker and Jose Siri are currently on different ends of the recovery spectrum. And the positive update was given to Winker, not Siri.

In regard to Winker, who landed on the injured list in early May with a right oblique strain, Stearns said he's progressing in ramp-up activities but still "multiple weeks" away from beginning a rehab assignment. The timetable checks out, considering that Winker was initially projected to miss 6-8 weeks. Only time will tell how long his eventual rehab stint lasts.

As for Siri, the news was far less encouraging. Stearns said he recently suffered "a little bit of a setback" in his recovery from a fractured left tibia, as imaging showed the bone hadn't healed to the Mets' liking. He's now shut down from all baseball activities. Siri fouled a ball off his shin on April 12, and had yet to return to the field for any drills or workouts. His intial recovery window was 8-12 weeks.

Meanwhile, on the bullpen front, reliever Brooks Raley is close to taking another step forward in his long journey back to the mound. Stearns said the veteran lefty could start a rehab assignment as early as next week, with a full ramp-up period that could last 30 days. The Mets signed Raley in late April, nearly a year after he underwent Tommy John surgery.

Suarez and Schwarber thriving in contract years, price tags increasing originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

With every performance like this, the price tags of two of the Phillies’ three most important free-agents-to-be continue to increase.

Ranger Suarez made a seventh straight excellent start, beating the Blue Jays with seven scoreless innings and walking off the mound at Citizens Bank Park to a standing ovation.

Since May 10, Suarez is 5-1 with a 1.16 ERA. His average start over that span has been less than one run over seven innings on an efficient 96 pitches.

“When he puts somebody on, it seems like he gets the double play every time. Weak contact, just vintage Ranger,” Trea Turner said.

Kyle Schwarber homered for a second straight game, changing the night with one swing in the bottom of the second. It was his 22nd of the season and one of his most impactful as 17 have been solos. This one was a three-run shot.

Suarez and Schwarber are both in their walk years. Suarez hired agent Scott Boras in December, so it’s unlikely he’ll give the Phillies a hometown discount. This is his primary chance for a payday that will affect future generations of the Suarez family and it makes sense to maximize every dollar.

The 29-year-old lefty has a 2.32 ERA through eight starts. If he can maintain anything close to this level of production over a full season, he could be looking at a contract approaching or exceeding $100 million, given the scarcity of high-level starting pitching and his resume in both the regular season and playoffs. The deepest part of the Phillies’ roster is their rotation and they have other needs, so Suarez seems at best 50-50 to return in free agency.

“It’s just sneaky, it’s all about deception, it’s not necessarily velo,” Turner said of what makes Suarez so successful. “Deceptive with multiple pitches, different arm angles. He’s tough on lefties and righties, which is a big deal. Changes speeds, throws anything in any count, really just a true pitcher. 

“There’s some guys who throw 100 (mph) and you see the ball good and some guys who throw 90 and you don’t see the ball well. You watch on TV and it doesn’t make sense. He’s just one of those guys where everything looks the same out of his hand, it takes you a little longer to pick things up and by the time you make your decision, it’s too late.”

This is the fourth straight year he’s put together at least one spectacular run. He’s done it early, he’s done it late, Suarez just hasn’t done it for a full season. He’s never been more incentivized than he is now, and the Phillies are hopeful this is the year it all comes together for him consistently because they know they’ll be without Aaron Nola for some time.

“Primarily, it’s being healthy,” Suarez said. “I know what I’m capable of when I’m healthy and I’m capable of doing great things.”

Schwarber has been the Phillies’ offensive hero so often in 2025. He went through a two-week slump from May 25 through June 10, hitting just .211 with two homers and 27 strikeouts in 64 plate appearances, but he appears to be breaking out of it. He’s had back-to-back games with a homer and walk.

The Phillies need Schwarber’s power more than ever with Bryce Harper out of the lineup. Alec Bohm isn’t a home-run hitter, Trea Turner has altered his approach to trade off power for more base-hits, and Nick Castellanos said recently that he’s trying to find the balance of being a tougher out while still selling out for extra-base hits when he gets a cookie.

It’s still five months away but Schwarber’s free agency will be fascinating. This is his age-32 season. He is a designated hitter. Yet his market could still include two-thirds of the league because of his difference-making power, an improving offensive profile, his postseason success and ability to lead a clubhouse of veterans or youngsters. Kyle Tucker will be a free agent and Pete Alonso is likely to opt out and become one, but Schwarber would be the next-best bat on the market.

These are important decisions the Phillies will face with Suarez, Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, who is also in a contract year. They’d love to lock Schwarber up today, but if you’re him, why put pen to paper now when 20 more teams might be interested in a few months?

The Phillies’ front office would be OK with Schwarber and Suarez further bolstering their free-agent value because it would mean they continued to produce. Free agency begins five days after the World Series ends, so until then, the main focus will be on that night’s game. Friday was a big win for the Phillies, who are trying to get back on track after losing nine of 10. They’ve won three of four since.

The Phils are 40-29 with Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler starting the next two afternoons. One more victory would make it a winning homestand and two more would help offset their recent doldrums.

It’s always a plus for manager Rob Thomson when he can win a game without using his top three relievers: Jordan Romano, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering. Joe Ross pitched the eighth inning of the 8-0 win over Toronto and Taijuan Walker had the ninth. None of Romano, Strahm or Kerkering pitched Wednesday and the team was off Thursday, so the bullpen will be well-rested heading into Saturday.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed before Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays that Paul Blackburn will get the start on Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves in place of the injured Kodai Senga.

Blackburn is still available out of the bullpen in the series opener.

"We’re gonna take it day-by-day, turn-by-turn, but Blackburn will take that spot on Wednesday against the Braves," Mendoza said. "He’s available today out of the bullpen. See where we’re at after the game today, but as of right now, the plan is for him to start on Wednesday."

If Blackburn doesn't pitch on Friday, he could still be available out of the bullpen on Saturday, although in a shorter capacity.

"We’ll see what happens today," Mendoza said. "If we don’t pitch him today, he could be available on a short [outing on Saturday], it wouldn’t be anything – because then he’ll have three days before he has to make a start."

Blackburn made his season debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 2 after going nearly a full year without pitching in the majors due to multiple injuries. After going five scoreless innings in that outing, he was sent to the bullpen and pitched four innings in relief on June 8 against the Colorado Rockies, giving up three earned runs on seven hits at Coors Field.

With the loss of Senga, Blackburn will once again be an important piece for New York.

"It definitely helps," the skipper said. "Important to have guys like that and we’ve been talking about our depth, and here we are again getting tested. There’s a reason why we built him up as a starter...

"We see it every time, injuries are a part of this game. Every team will go through it, but I feel like we’re equipped to handle [it]. And obviously we got a guy like that already on the active roster and we got some more guys that are getting close to joining the team."

Of course, Frankie Montas, who is making another rehab start on Friday, and Sean Manaea, who pitches on Saturday, are also waiting in the wings.

Twelve weeks into the season, the Dodgers are already turning to a 12th different starting pitcher in their revolving door of a rotation.

For Ben Casparius, it’s an opportunity he’s patiently waited for all season.

Though Casparius is technically still a rookie, the 26-year-old right-hander has seen a lot in his young MLB career. Last year, he went from starting the season as an overlooked double-A prospect (one who didn’t even get an invite to big-league spring training) to finishing it pitching key innings in four different postseason games (including as an opener in Game 4 of the World Series).

This spring, a rash of bullpen injuries ensured he’d have a spot on the opening-day big-league roster. Further injuries to top right-handed relievers pushed him into a de facto leverage role.

Read more:Hernández: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is always the calm center during the storm

At every step, the former fifth-round draft pick has excelled, posting a 2.86 ERA over 44 innings this year with 46 strikeouts and only nine walks.

Along with fellow rookie reliever Jack Dreyer, Casparius has become one of the unsung heroes responsible for helping the first-place Dodgers overcome their injury-riddled start.

“We don't win this game tonight without Ben,” is the kind of quote manager Dave Roberts has uttered more than once, and most recently after Casparius pitched 2 ⅔ scoreless innings of relief in a come-from-behind win against the New York Mets on June 3.

“He's had to grow up really quickly for us,” Roberts added that night, “and he's got the respect of his teammates.”

Now, however, Casparius is getting a new level of respect from the team’s decision-makers, too.

After exhausting virtually all their other starting pitching alternatives to this point — from struggling minor-league arms like Landon Knack, Bobby Miller and Justin Wrobleski, to a bulk-inning option such as Matt Sauer — the Dodgers are finally entrusting Casparius with a starting role.

For all the value he brought in the bullpen, they simply couldn’t afford to keep him out of the rotation any longer.

Read more:Teoscar Hernández's home run helps lift Dodgers to series win over Padres

“Where we were at [earlier this season], we felt that there was more value [having him come] out of the ‘pen and being kind of a versatile type reliever,” Roberts said. “But where we are at now currently, he’s certainly showing that he’s 1 of 5.”

Casparius got his first shot at a more traditional start on Wednesday in San Diego, producing four innings of one-run ball in an outing he didn’t know he was making until the night before.

In the days leading up, the Dodgers had lost Tony Gonsolin to an elbow problem — already their fourth starter to get injured just since the start of the season. They had demoted Knack back to the minors, and watched Wrobleski give up four runs in six innings to the St. Louis Cardinals as his replacement. They saw Sauer get roughed up as a bulk-innings pitcher Tuesday against the Padres, and Miller implode in a 10-run outing in triple-A that same night.

Suddenly, the team was down to just three healthy starters it could trust: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dustin May and Clayton Kershaw.

Emmet Sheehan might be part of that group before long, continuing his recovery from Tommy John surgery with a third triple-A rehab start on Thursday in which he pitched 3 ⅓ innings (once he completes four innings, Roberts said, he will be a viable option for the big-league club). Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell are also making progress towards returning, though none of them are likely to be back until sometime next month.

Thus, with a Wednesday rubber match against the Padres looming, the Dodgers decided to reassign Casparius from multi-inning reliever to their latest fill-in starter.

“We like this kind of transition right now,” Roberts said. “Figuring out how we get through this period before we get other guys back to health … potentially there's a chance to continue to build him up, which right now makes sense."

In a win over the Padres that kept the Dodgers in sole possession of first place of the NL West entering another key series this weekend against the San Francisco Giants, Casparius responded with quality production. He limited damage (with the help of an Andy Pages outfield assist) to one run during a bases-loaded jam in the second. He retired the side in order in each of the other three frames he pitched.

Most notably, he also fought to take down an inning more than initially expected — lobbying to stay in the game for the fourth despite Roberts’ pregame assertion he likely wouldn’t pitch past the third (not since May 5 had Casparius thrown more than three innings in an outing).

“He wasn’t going to come out of that game after three,” Roberts said. “He wanted to stay in for the fourth.”

It gave Casparius the chance to flash his full arsenal of starting-caliber stuff; from a big-breaking combination of sweepers and curveballs, to a late-biting cutter that can induce soft contact, to an upper-90s mph fastball that, one point, even Padres star Manny Machado outwardly endorsed, pointing to Casparius with an approving nod of his head after swinging through a 98 mph heater up in the zone for a first-inning strikeout.

"I saw that,” Casparius said. “He's one of the best players in the game, so it's pretty cool.”

Casparius also showcased his evolved mental approach.

During his minor-league career, Casparius started in 57 of his 79 career appearances. Moving to the bullpen full-time at the start of his major league career gave him perspective he believes will benefit him in his return to a starting role now.

“Taking that reliever mindset, pitch by pitch, inning by inning, has helped me to slow the game down in general,” Casparius said. “So I think it's been kind of a blessing. And then whatever happens going forward, I think I can just use that to keep going."

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Eventually, Casparius could be shifted back to the bullpen again. Once the Dodgers get healthier, his value as a multi-inning relief option will likely mean resuming his swingman role.

But for now, Roberts has already confirmed that “the next time he’s on the mound, it will be as a starter.”

And for a pitcher who, despite his success out of the bullpen, has continued to view himself as a starter long-term, it represents an opportunity that might have been borne of out necessity, but was also long-ago earned.

“Obviously, I've been doing it for the majority of my professional career, so it's something I'm comfortable with routine-wise,” Casparius said of starting games. “I'm just looking forward to what's going on and what's coming up next."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.