Former Padres pitcher gets first career save for Dodgers in unexpected twist

Two relievers have already cycled into and then out of the Dodgers' bullpen — Kyle Hurt and Nabil Crismatt — just one week into the season. Each only got a couple of innings in before they got the bump (Hurt straight down to Triple-A and Crismatt DFA'ed), with Crismatt being replaced by Dinelson Lamet, who has lasted two games so far.

Lamet was a minor-league signing for the Dodgers during the offseason and a non-roster invitee at spring training. He pitched just under four innings in camp and made a good showing of it, walking away with a 2.45 ERA. However, Hurt (with more upside) got the call over Crismatt or Lamet on the Opening Day roster.

Neither Hurt nor Crismatt had particularly bad showings to start the season — quite the opposite, really — but the Dodgers are clearly experimenting a bit while Brusdar Graterol and Blake Treinen are sidelined with injury. Lamet only gave up one hit in his first game on Monday, and on Wednesday, he was given the ball in the top of the ninth with the Dodgers only up by one run, marking the chance for him to rack up his first career save.

And he didn't disappoint. Matt Chapman and Thairo Estrada both went down on strikes, then Mike Yastrzemski grounded out to end the game, allowing the Dodgers to complete the sweep.

Minor league signing and NRI Dinelson Lamet got his first career save with the Dodgers on Wednesday night

After earning Cy Young votes with the Padres in 2020, Lamet sort of fell apart in the years following, culminating in a brutal 2023 season with the Rockies and Red Sox, when he was lambasted to the tune of a 11.71 ERA on the year, which saw him DFA'ed by Boston. The Dodgers signed him in February with an invite to spring training, and the rest is history.

It's unclear whether or not the Dodgers will keep him in the majors, given how things went with Hurt and Crismatt, but at least Lamet will have his first career save to show for this short stint with LA.