The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen has been dealt another significant setback. On Thursday, the club placed Brusdar Graterol on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, the latest hurdle in what has been a stop-and-start campaign for the 26-year-old reliever.
According to Dodgers Nation, manager Dave Roberts made clear that while Graterol is not expected back during the regular season, the postseason remains a possibility.
“I think that’s fair,” Roberts said when asked if Graterol’s regular-season return was off the table. “And I think with Brusdar, the last couple years, he’s missed significant time, but then when he’s ready, he has the ability to not let the postseason phase him. So I do think that working with the mindset of not having him is kind of where we’re at. And if we can get him, and he’s right, that’ll be great. So I wouldn’t be surprised, though, with that guy.”
A tough blow to the Dodgers’ bullpen
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Graterol has endured a frustrating stretch over the past two seasons. After a career year in 2023, he missed nearly all of 2024 due to shoulder trouble before returning late to help the Dodgers capture a World Series title over the New York Yankees. His 2025 campaign was derailed almost immediately after offseason shoulder surgery forced him onto the 60-day injured list.
When he finally returned in August, Graterol flashed his usual dominance. In a brief stint following a hamstring setback, he logged seven scoreless innings with a 0.43 WHIP, often pitching in high-leverage situations in the seventh and ninth innings. That made Thursday’s announcement all the more difficult for a Los Angeles bullpen already stretched thin by injuries.
Without Graterol, the Dodgers are expected to lean heavily on Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, Michael Kopech, and Daniel Hudson to anchor late-inning situations in October.
A cautious but hopeful outlook
Currently, Graterol is working through a throwing progression at Camelback Ranch, the Dodgers’ spring training facility in Arizona. His availability hinges on how his shoulder responds in the coming weeks, leaving the door open for a potential postseason cameo if the Dodgers advance deep enough.
Roberts, who has seen Graterol bounce back from setbacks before, continues to hold cautious optimism.
“If we can get him, and he’s right, that’ll be great,” Roberts emphasized.
For now, the Dodgers will press forward without one of their most trusted arms, bracing for the postseason with the hope that Graterol might once again step into the spotlight when the games matter most.