SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Might the Karroses have a new family tradition?
Jared Karros and Kyle Karros, the sons of former Dodgers first baseman and current SportsNet LA broadcaster Eric Karros, exchanged lineup cards before Thursday afternoon's tilt between the Dodgers and Rockies at Salt River Fields.
Last year, it was Kyle and Eric who met at home plate to swap lineup cards ahead of a spring contest between the two NL West clubs.
"I’m actually hoping this doesn’t become like an annual Karros family reunion because it’s getting a little corny already," Kyle said. "But this was the first time my brother was on the other side of it, so that was definitely a special moment for us. It’s super cool. We do everything together."
The Karros brothers shook hands, then posed for a mantle-worthy photo before heading back to their respective dugouts. And all the while, Eric was watching -- not from the broadcast booth, but somewhere in the stands.
"It’s cool to have him around," Kyle said. "And it’s cool that today he was in the stands just as our dad, not as a coach in the other dugout. He was just a normal dad just like any other kid’s dad here.”
The only thing that could have made the moment better was if the brothers had been able to face off on the field, but the timing wasn't meant to be. Rockies manager Bud Black would have liked to make it happen, but he said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts simply put Jared in the game too early.
"He’s gotta know that our Karros is going to come in in the back end of the game," Black said.
Jared entered the game in the fourth inning, when the Colorado regulars were still in the game. He struck out two and worked around a single for a scoreless frame. Kyle entered the game in the sixth and went 1-for-2 with a run scored as his Rockies came out on top, 2-0.
Kyle, for his part, did not particularly want to face his brother.
"I wanted no part of it," Kyle said. "I get crazy nervous when he pitches. I was a wreck in our dugout just watching.
"[Ryan] McMahon came up to me, and he asked me if I wanted the at-bat because if my brother had gone two, he would have faced McMahon’s slot. … If we face each other in a real setting where it happens organically, then so be it. That’ll be a fun battle. But I don’t need to be subbed in or whatnot. Let him go out there and play, and I’ll play as well.”
The Karros family has plenty of shared baseball history. Eric starred at UCLA before being drafted by the Dodgers in 1988. He won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1992.
Jared and Kyle followed in their father's footsteps by attending his alma mater. After their respective runs with the Bruins, Jared was drafted by the Dodgers in the 16th round in 2022, while Kyle was the Rockies' fifth-round pick in '23.
The brothers have done live batting practice against each other in previous offseasons, but they have yet to meet as opponents in the Minor Leagues. Jared finished 2024 with Double-A Tulsa, while Kyle spent the whole year with High-A Spokane. There's a chance that their schedules could align at some point in the future.
It wasn't the first time that the Dodgers have had family members share the field this spring. Last week, Los Angeles prospect Sean McLain got the chance to play against his brother, Cincinnati second baseman Matt McLain.
"I think baseball is unique in the sense of the family component, the possibilities to do something like this," Roberts said. "To … have two brothers face each other, we did this the other day with the McLains. I had [Sean] in the lineup so he could play against his brother. Eric, obviously being a great Dodger, being in town right now, is great. It's going to be a good moment."
"I love that stuff," Black said. "That was great to see the brothers up there. Albeit, it’s a Spring Training game, but hey, one day they both could be big leaguers.”
Sonja Chen covers the Dodgers for MLB.com.