Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers Bolster Bullpen With Roster Move Ahead of Series Finale Against Rockies

LA made an adjustment to their bullpen before getaway day.

Matt Wagner

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The Los Angeles Dodgers will play their final game in Denver on Thursday evening, looking to grab a victory and win the series after splitting the first two games.

A bullpen collapse was in large part responsible for LA's loss on Wednesday, and the Dodgers are making a move to upgrade their relief group ahead of Thursday's rubber match.

LA's officially calling up Justin Bruihl and sending Michael Grove back down to Triple-A Oklahoma City, per Dodgers Nation on Twitter.

Grove, who's served as both a starter and reliever this year, has struggled mightily in 2023. He's put up a 7.54 ERA and 1.56 WHIP over nine total appearances for Los Angeles this season, and has a penchant for giving up the home run, surrendering eight in just 37 total innings.

Bruihl was placed on the taxi squad on Wednesday as an insurance policy of sorts after Clayton Kershaw's early exit from his dominant start the night before.

For now, Kershaw doesn't seem to have much of an injury concern, but Bruihl will be on the Dodgers roster in a struggling rookie's stead.

Bruihl has had an excellent season for the OKC Dodgers, recording a 1.23 ERA down in Oklahoma this season.

He hasn't had as much success for the Los Angeles Dodgers, putting up a 4.41 ERA over 14 big league appearances this year, but for now he should be a welcome replacement as Grove attempts to fix his issues down in Triple-A.

We'll see what Bruihl does if he pitches in the hurler's nightmare park that is Coors Field, but he figures to be more involved in the Dodgers three-game series against the Kansas City Royals this weekend.

Concerning Grove, hopefully for him and LA he's able to turn his year around and show what made the former second round draft pick a highly ranked prospect before he made his MLB debut.

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Matt Wagner
MATT WAGNER

Matt Wagner was born and raised in southern California, and he lived there before moving to Colorado and getting his B.A. in Communications from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 2022. He relocated back to southern California in 2023 and is looking forward to covering the teams that mean so much to his home area. Some of his past work is in Bleacher Report, Dodgers Tailgate, and, most recently, Colorado Buffaloes Wire. Aside from writing, you can probably catch him petting the nearest dog or eating some good Mexican food.

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