Just as the Los Angeles Dodgers were getting healthier on the pitching side, the NL West leaders endured a devastating blow during a 6-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. Flamethrowing right-handed pitcher Brusdar Graterol suffered a likely season-ending hamstring strain making his season debut, crushing any hope that the 25-year-old would significantly contribute for the Dodgers this season.
After grinding through more than five months of rehab for a shoulder injury, Graterol's 2024 season ended after only eight pitches. He was in tears as he was helped off the mound with the reality that he wouldn’t pitch again this year hitting him like a ton of bricks.
As frustrating as it is for Graterol, his Dodgers teammates and the coaching staff share the same feeling. The animated reliever is well-liked in the clubhouse and his loss will be felt throughout the organization.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, per Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times. “Brusdar has been so good for us. He’s pitched in a lot of big games, postseason games, and he had a tough road back. He spent a lot of time in Arizona on rehab, and to come back, and the third hitter he faced, to blow out, and it was a pretty big blowout … I feel terrible for him and for his teammates.”
Few relievers pitched as well as Brusdar Graterol did in 2023. He posted a 4-2 record with a 1.20 ERA, 19 holds and seven saves in 68 games, always giving the Dodgers quality stuff when his number was called. That is even more evident in the playoffs, with Graterol carrying a 1.64 ERA across 22 innings in his MLB career.
Clayton Kershaw gaining confidence
Starting pitching has been inconsistent for the Dodgers in 2024, but the return of Clayton Kershaw is expected to help limit that. The future Hall of Famer looked much more conformable on the mound Tuesday night than he did in his previous start.
After failing to record a strikeout in a start for the first time in his MLB career last time out, Kershaw fanned five Phillies hitters on Tuesday. He scattered five hits and allowed one run in 4 2/3 innings, his longest outing of the season.
It was a step in the right direction for Kershaw. His manager took notice.
“There was just a different look coming off that last outing, and you could see it,” Roberts said. “I think anyone who was watching the game can see the conviction in the throws. He was going to will himself to have a quality outing, and he did that.”
With so much turnover among the Dodgers' pitching staff this year, it's nice to have the familiarity of Kershaw back in the fold. He isn’t going to turn back the clock every time he trots out there, but even a B-level Clayton Kershaw is good enough to scare hitters.
Kershaw also navigated a lengthy shoulder recovery this year to play for the Dodgers. He related to Brusdar Graterol.
“There’s a lot of stuff that goes into coming back and getting on the field, and unless you’ve done it, you don’t really know. So we all feel for him,” Kershaw said. “He loves to pitch, he loves to be out there, he loves to be with us, so if this is a season-ender, it’s really hard. But the good thing for him is he’s really young, he’s got a great arm, and he’ll be able to bounce back next year. But it’s definitely a tough night.”
With one of their top bullpen options unavailable, the Dodgers' need for Kershaw to pitch well is amplified.
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