Dodgers send starter Mike Bolsinger to triple-A and call up reliever Carlos Frias
By Sunday morning, hours after Mike Bolsinger’s latest unsuccessful start, the Dodgers cleared out his locker and replaced his nameplate with one for Carlos Frias. The team recalled Frias from the minors and optioned Bolsinger to triple-A Oklahoma City after Bolsinger gave up five runs in 2 2/3 innings Saturday.
Frias serves as an emergency arm for a bullpen that has handled three consecutive nights of heavy work. Manager Dave Roberts indicated the team may not stick with a nine-man relief corps for very long. The team will likely option a reliever out on Monday to make room for Yasiel Puig as he returns from the disabled list.
Roberts said the team has not yet determined who will be the fifth starter going forward. The Dodgers could use Thursday’s day off to skip the fifth spot, although they have shown a preference earlier this season for giving Kenta Maeda extra rest.
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Roberts declined to provide names of candidates for the fifth spot when it does come back up in the rotation.
“You can write some options down,” Roberts said. “And I think you’ll be in the ballpark.”
So, in that vein, it is reasonable to consider Jharel Cotton and Frankie Montas as two of the most likely candidates. The team needs placeholders for Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu as they finish rehabilitation assignments.
Another possible option had been Zach Lee, but the Dodgers traded the right-hander to Seattle in exchange for infielder Chris Taylor.
Lee, a first-round pick in 2010, was considered part of the organization’s depth, but had been leap-frogged by pitching prospects like Cotton, Montas and Jose De Leon.
Bolsinger, 28, was a credible fifth starter in 2015, posting a 3.62 earned-run average in 21 starts. He could not duplicate that production through six starts this season, getting pounded on a regular basis, with his ERA at 6.83.
“Mike understands that when you’re up here, you need to get outs,” Roberts said.
Twitter: @McCulloughTimes
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