Dave Roberts had already began to punt Tuesday’s game before utilityman Kike Hernandez jogged to the mound of an 8-0 game with two outs in the sixth inning.
The frame began with Miguel Rojas replacing Teoscar Hernandez and Hyeseong Kim replacing Mookie Betts in a five-run game.
The three quick runs that the Padres scored off Matt Sauer allowed the Dodgers manager to double down on saving his bullpen for an opportunity to win the series.
“We certainly reached the line as far as pitch count,” Roberts said late Tuesday after pulling Sauer after a career-high 111 pitches. “I think that Matt understood kind of his role and what was kind of deciding where the game was going to go. You know, if we caught a lead early, and it was worth it to deploy leverage guys to win a ball game, but if not, then try to go as long as he could.”
The idea was to save bullets to win a series and they may need them as they’ve got an opener (Ben Casparius) ahead of left-hander Justin Wrobleski for Wednesday’s 1:10 p.m. start on Padres.TV.
The 24-year-old Wrobleski (1-2, 7.20 ERA) has a 6.14 ERA in 51⅓ innings since making his debut last year and has allowed 12 homers, including three in 15 innings this year. Wrobleski allowed four runs over six innings (104 pitches) in his last start. This is his first career appearance against the Padres or anyone in their lineup.
As far as Casparius (4-1, 2.93 ERA), the 26-year-old right-hander is making his second start and 22nd appearance this year. He’s thrown as many as four innings in a relief appearance, 2⅔ innings in his lone start and last appeared on June 7, allowing two runs in an inning of work in St. Louis.
Like Wrobleski, Casparius has not faced the Padres or any hitters in their lineup, which will include an additional right-hander as Jose Iglesias will start at shortstop, pushing Xander Bogaerts into the DH spot and Gavin Sheets out to left field instead of Tyler Wade.
Wednesday matinee. pic.twitter.com/J9RfDhyKJZ
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 11, 2025
Padres right-hander Randy Vásquez (3-4, 3.69 ERA) has walked 34 batters in 63⅓ innings, the prime reason for a FIP (5.34) sitting well above his ERA. Vásquez has seven walks over his last two starts, but did not allow a run in 4⅔ innings in his last start in Milwaukee. This is Vásquez’s first career appearance against the Dodgers, who will trot out this lineup:
Today’s #Dodgers lineup at Padres: pic.twitter.com/7V2EsUxtxk
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 11, 2025
