Nathan Eovaldi & Dodgers Sixth Starters

The worst kept secret in the world will become official later today, as Nathan Eovaldi will be recalled from Double A Chattanooga to start for the Dodgers tonight in place of Ted Lilly, who was placed on the disabled list on Monday. Eovaldi was called up earlier this season for three games against the Washington Nationals, but he did not pitch in any of the games.

Eovaldi has had three one-inning appearances in Double A this season, each one in preparation of possibly getting recalled, including a relief appearance Saturday in which he struck out all three batters he faced. In his six real starts with Chattanooga, Eovaldi was 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA with 13 walks and 26 strikeouts in 32 innings.

Game 49 is the latest into the season the Dodgers have used a sixth starter in 14 years. Not since Dave Mlicki started game number 61 in 1998 have the Dodgers gone this far into a season needing just five starters. Here is a look back at the first time a sixth starter was used over the last 13 years.

• 2011: Game 14 (Jon Garland)
• 2010: Game 21 (John Ely)
• 2009: Game 6 (Eric Stults)
• 2008: Game 8 (Chad Billingsley)
• 2007: Game 16 (Mark Hendrickson)
• 2006: Game 32 (Aaron Sele)
• 2005: Game 18 (Brad Penny)
• 2004: Game 28 (Wilson Alvarez)
• 2003: Game 18 (Andy Ashby)
• 2002: Game 16 (Omar Daal)
• 2001: Game 8 (Kevin Brown)
• 2000: Game 11 (Eric Gagne)
• 1999: Game 28 (Jamie Arnold)
• 1998: Game 61 (Dave Mlicki)