LOS ANGELES — By posting a 2.93 ERA and holding hitters to a .217 average over his first 40 innings out of the bullpen this season, Ben Casparius pitched his way into the Dodgers’ depleted starting rotation. He is pitching his way back to the bullpen. Casparius was ripped for six runs in the first three innings Friday night, and things only got worse as the Dodgers absorbed an 18-1 pounding by ...
Bill Plunkett, The Orange County Register | July 5, 2025
Shohei Ohtani, #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers, tags first base against Christian Walker, #8 of the Houston Astros, during the third inning at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2025, in Los Angeles, California.
Eric Thayer/Getty Images North America/TNS
LOS ANGELES — By posting a 2.93 ERA and holding hitters to a .217 average over his first 40 innings out of the bullpen this season, Ben Casparius pitched his way into the Dodgers’ depleted starting rotation.
He is pitching his way back to the bullpen.
Casparius was ripped for six runs in the first three innings Friday night, and things only got worse as the Dodgers absorbed an 18-1 pounding by the Houston Astros.
But Casparius wasn’t the most unfortunate Dodgers pitcher in the game. Reliever Noah Davis gave up 10 runs in the sixth inning, the most runs scored in an inning against the Dodgers since the St. Louis Cardinals scored 11 in the third inning on April 23, 1999 – an inning that included two grand slam home runs by Fernando Tatis Sr. off Chan Ho Park.
The 17-run defeat is the Dodgers’ worst ever at Dodger Stadium and their worst overall since a 20-1 defeat at Wrigley Field on May 5, 2001.
Casparius’ struggles started from the first pitch of the game. Isaac Parades lined it into the seats down the left-field line for the first of the Astros’ five home runs in the game – including two by Jose Altuve, a grand slam by Victor Caratini and Christian Walker’s 20th at Dodger Stadium and 28th against the Dodgers (all but Friday’s coming when he was wearing an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform).
Casparius faced 18 batters in his three innings. Nine of them had hits, including four doubles and three home runs.
The Astros couldn’t have hit Casparius much harder if they knew what was coming. Eight of the first 14 batters hit balls off Casparius with exit velocities of 100 mph or higher, topped by Walker’s 417-foot homer at 107.5 mph.
Over five outings since moving into an elevated role – two starts and three following Shohei Ohtani as opener – Casparius has given up 18 runs in 19 2/3 innings, including six home runs.
With Emmet Sheehan and Tyler Glasnow expected to return in the next week, Casparius is not likely to be asked to do that again.
Davis’ nightmare inning featured six hits (including Caratini’s grand slam), three walks, an error and a bases-loaded hit batter.
The Dodgers never returned fire, finishing the night with just six hits. Their lone run came on a home run by Will Smith in the second inning.
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