Dodgers call up Tyler Cyr, the latest fresh arm in a busy bullpen

The Dodgers’ never-ending need for a fresh arm in the bullpen lives on, with Tyler Cyr the latest new pitcher added to a relief corps that’s handled the bulk of the work this week.

Cyr had his contract selected from Triple-A Oklahoma City, where the 30-year-old right-hander had a 4.86 ERA with 24 strikeouts and 10 walks in 16⅔ innings. The Dodgers signed the right-hander to a minor league contract in February, and he was a non-roster invitee in spring training camp.

He last pitched on Tuesday, throwing a scoreless inning for Triple-A.

Cyr made his major league debut last season and, if he sticks around on the now-full 40-man roster, does have three option years remaining.

Another option might have been Michael Grove, who was with the Dodgers in St. Louis on Thursday on the taxi squad, a candidate to be activated from the injured list for relief work.

“Michael Grove is here just if something happens tonight, that we might need to happen tomorrow,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters at Busch Stadium before Thursday’s series opener, per SportsNet LA.

Something did in fact happen on Thursday, as it has for every Dodgers game this week. Julio Urías got torched four six runs and four home runs in the third inning in his shortest start of the season. That required five more innings from the bullpen. In four games since Monday, Dodgers relievers have pitched 26 innings, compared to only 12 by starting pitchers.

The yeoman’s effort on Thursday night came from Andre Jackson, who was recalled from Oklahoma City earlier in the day. He pitched three scoreless innings of relief to get the Dodgers through the seventh, then allowed a walk and two singles with one out in the eighth, ending his night. All three runners scored.

Jackson was optioned to Triple-A on Friday, the product of a Dodgers pitching staff that hasn’t had a starter pitch five innings since Sunday. It marks the third consecutive day a bullpen savior was jettisoned the next day, with Justin Bruihl optioned Wednesday after pitching two innings Tuesday, his third straight game; and Covey, who pitched four-plus innings Wednesday but was designated for assignment on Thursday.

Bruihl returned to the bullpen Thursday when Dustin May was placed on the injured list.

The Dodgers are in desperate need of a pitcher to soak up a large amount of innings as soon as possible. Starter Tony Gonsolin will get the next crack at it on Friday night.