The Dodgers recalled right-hander Kyle Hurt on Monday after Ben Casparius was sidelined with a shoulder injury and headed for the injured list. Hurt, 27, is back in the majors after almost two full years away.
Hurt has thrown only 8 2/3 innings in the big leagues, but the Dodgers are giving him another chance in a role that looks different from the one he once projected for. Before Tommy John surgery in July of 2024, he was viewed mostly as a starting pitcher. Since then, the team appears to see him more as a multi-inning relief option.
The move comes as Los Angeles has already been operating without Blake Snell while he works his way through shoulder fatigue. It is also consistent with how the Dodgers have handled pitching depth in recent seasons, turning to minor league arms such as Ryan Pepiot, Gavin Stone and Emmet Sheehan when injuries have thinned the staff.
Hurt made his return to a professional mound late last season and has logged 14 innings at Triple-A since the surgery. That limited workload is the clearest sign of where he is in the comeback process, and it makes Monday’s recall less a finished product than a test of whether his arm can hold up in a bullpen role the Dodgers now seem ready to explore.