Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES — Just three days after a disastrous outing against the Cubs, Ben Casparius took the mound at Dodger Stadium with something to prove—and he delivered in a big way.
Called on in a tight game after Bobby Miller struggled in his return, Casparius gave the Dodgers exactly what they needed: three innings of steady, gutsy relief that helped preserve an 8–7 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
“It was great to be able to pick the guys up,” Casparius said postgame. “I haven’t gone three innings in a while, but I just tried to stay locked in and push through that last one.”
Casparius entered the game with the Dodgers clinging to a slim lead and the bullpen already feeling the weight of a long week. Despite the pressure—and his own recent struggles—he kept the Rockies at bay, bridging the gap to the back end of the bullpen.
Manager Dave Roberts, often reserved in the dugout, met Casparius at the top of the steps with visible emotion—something the reliever didn’t take lightly.
“That was pretty cool,” Casparius said with a smile. “I haven’t gotten that kind of emotion from him in a long time. Maybe since the World Series. Just to see that and know he had confidence in me to go back out there—that meant a lot.”
The strong outing came on the heels of a rough stretch for Casparius, who admitted to battling mechanical hiccups in recent appearances. But after a few adjustments and a mental reset, he looked more like his old self.
“I just tried to simplify everything,” he said. “With the ups and downs of the season, it’s going to happen. But tonight, I felt really good.”
Casparius also spoke about the pride he takes in his role as a long reliever, often the unsung hero of the pitching staff.
“I think that’s probably my biggest joy in this role—being able to give our other guys a break,” he said. “Whether we’re up, down, or tied, just being able to add some relief and keep us in the game is huge.”
His performance didn’t just preserve the lead—it set the tone. The Dodgers’ offense had staked a big early advantage but needed someone to steady the ship when the game tightened. Casparius stepped up.
As the Dodgers continue to navigate a crowded and injury-shuffled pitching staff, outings like this help solidify roles and build trust—and Casparius knows it.
“I just want to keep learning and keep contributing,” he said. “Whatever the team needs, I’m ready.”
For a young pitcher trying to carve out his place, Wednesday night was a step in the right direction—one that earned him a moment of celebration and a long round of applause in the dugout.
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