On today’s closed-door meeting involving pitcher Chris Hatcher.

Chris Hatcher

Chris Hatcher has a 6.63 FIP this season in 19 innings. (Getty Images)

SAN DIEGO — The Dodgers are keeping eight pitchers in their bullpen through next Wednesday, Dave Roberts said, and Chris Hatcher met with the manager and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt for a closed-door meeting Friday at Petco Park.

The two things are probably related.

First, here’s what Roberts said about the decision to keep Chin-Hui Tsao on staff for the next six days:

And here’s what Roberts said about his meeting with Hatcher, who allowed two runs last night in Anaheim, lifting his earned-run average to an unsightly 6.35:

Hatcher’s struggles are part of a bigger picture among the Dodgers’ staff. Their collective ERA rose from 3.41 to 3.67 over the last five games — and that takes into account a one-run complete game by Clayton Kershaw on Tuesday, their only win during that stretch. Otherwise the starters have been pitching shorter lately, the bullpen has been pitching more, and Hatcher has struggled to find a role that suits him. His 6.63 FIP is fifth-highest among National League relievers who have thrown at least 10 innings this season.

Roberts went on to say that Hatcher has no defined role right now, so the question of whether the pep talk helped or not might not be answered on the field tonight.

Tsao made his 2016 debut last night after starting the season at Triple-A. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning in Anaheim, retiring three batters on 10 pitches. Expect the veteran right-hander to get at least some of the situations previously reserved for Hatcher, who began the season as the Dodgers’ primary set-up man.

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.