Dodgers Select Brent Honeywell, Recall Ben Casparius
LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Brent Honeywell, recalled right-handed pitcher Ben Casparius, and placed right-handed pitcher Joe Kelly on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation and placed left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw on the injured list with left big toe inflammation.
Honeywell, 29, returns to the Dodgers after being designated for assignment on August 18. This will be his second stint with the club after pitching in 10 games (one start) with an 0-1 record, a 2.21 ERA (5 ER/20.1 IP) and 12 strikeouts. The Augusta, Georgia native owns a 2-5 Major League record across 55 games (three starts) with a 4.26 ERA (38 ER/80.1 IP) and 62 strikeouts against 32 walks. He made his Major League debut on April 11, 2021 with the Tampa Bay Rays, who drafted the righty out of Walter State Community College in 2014.
Casparius, 25, returns to the Dodgers for his second stint with the club after having his contract selected for the first time on August 18. He did not make an appearance in his first visit but holds a 4-3 record in 14 games (13 starts) and a 3.30 ERA (22 ER/60.0 IP) with 64 strikeouts with Triple-A Oklahoma City after being promoted on May 7. He has spent four minor league seasons in the Dodgers’ organization, going 14-17 in 77 games (56 starts) with 338 strikeouts against 145 walks. He was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2021 First Year Player Draft out of the University of Connecticut.
Kelly, 36, pitched 1.2 innings last night and gave up two earned runs on three hits. The 13-year veteran owns a 1-1 record through 31 games this year, striking out 30 batters over 27.2 innings. Since rejoining the Dodgers last season, the righty has posted a 2-1 mark in 42 games with 49 strikeouts and 15 holds. He has been in the Major Leagues for 13 season with St. Louis (2012-14), Boston (2014-18), Los Angeles (2019, 23-24) and Chicago-AL (2022-23) and he is 54-38 over 481 games (81 starts) with 762 strikeouts in 834.2 innings.
Kershaw, 36, left last night’s game with left big toe pain in the second inning. Prior to the injury, he pitched 1.0 inning and gave up three earned runs on three hits. The southpaw has posted a 2-2 record in seven starts with 4.50 ERA (15 ER/30.0 IP) and 24 strikeouts against just nine walks after spending the first half of the season recuperating from left shoulder surgery. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is currently in his 17th big league season, holding a 210-92 record and 2.46 ERA in 432 games (429 starts). He has tallied 2,968 strikeouts, just 32 away from becoming the 20th pitcher in Major League history to reach 3,000 strikeouts. The Dallas, Texas native has spent his entire Major League career with Los Angeles and was originally drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft.