It seemed easy to assume Chris Hatcher’s return to the Dodgers bullpen on Friday after the birth of his son on Thursday meant Adam Liberatore’s stay in the major leagues would last all of one day.

The Dodgers instead decided to keep an eighth reliever and send down catcher Austin Barnes. It didn’t hurt that Liberatore became just the second lefty in the bullpen when he arrived from Triple-A on Thursday. He struck out four of the six batters he faced in the minors, but Liberatore wasn’t thrilled that he landed there in the first place.

“I obviously wasn’t happy about it, but I’m not going to sit here and say ‘One of these guys should be here and I shouldn’t.’” he said. “I felt like I had a strong spring and I just wanted to keep doing my thing and hope for a quick call-up.”

A 21st round draft pick by Tampa Bay in 2010, Liberatore made his major league debut last year for the Dodgers. He posted a 4.25 ERA in 39 relief appearances. Considering he began the season in Triple-A, was Liberatore surprised he wasn’t sent down when Hatcher returned?

“I don’t spend a lot of time trying to figure out what they’re doing as far as that,” Liberatore said. “As a player with options, a guy that’s been up and down a little bit, to find out you’re going up is exciting.. let them worry about who goes up and down.”