SAN DIEGO -- A combination of short starts that have taxed an inconsistent bullpen and the impressive one-inning outing Thursday night by journeyman Chin-hui Tsao led the Dodgers to change plans and continue with eight relievers.
Tsao was called up for the final game of the Angels series and the club was expected to replace him Friday with a position player. But Tsao had a 1-2-3 eighth inning in Anaheim, and those are not to be taken for granted in times of bullpen crisis.
Manager Dave Roberts, citing the 4 1/3-inning start of Ross Stripling Thursday, a 4 1/3-inning start by Mike Bolsinger on Wednesday and Kenta Maeda's four-inning start Monday, said the Dodgers will keep the eighth reliever through the next six games before reassessing.