The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently taking on the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-game weekend series. After dropping the first game of the series, Los Angeles looks to bounce back on Saturday with Roki Sasaki pitching.
Also on Saturday, the Dodgers got news away from their big league team regarding reliever Brusdar Graterol.
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Brusdar Graterol to Begin Rehab Assignment
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Brusdar Graterol #48 of the Los Angeles Dodgers receives a mound visit during the sixth inning of Game Five of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Per multiple reports, Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol is set to begin a rehab assignment.
“[Brusdar] Graterol (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, Triple-A Oklahoma City broadcaster Alex Freedman reports.”
“Graterol’s first minor-league outing will mark his first appearance in a game at any level since the 2024 World Series. Because he’s been sidelined for so long since undergoing surgery on his right shoulder, he will likely require an extended stay in Triple-A before the Dodgers add him back to their bullpen.”
Back in 2024, Graterol pitched just 7.2 innings before getting injured and sidelined for the entire year (until the MLB playoffs). In those 7.2 innings, Graterol gave up just two earned runs with seven strikeouts.
When he’s right, Graterol can be extremely deceptive and throw sinkers at 95+ MPH.
However, health has obviously been a big issue over the past couple of years, and shoulder injuries have a higher chance of being reaggravated than other arm issues. Before 2024, Brusdar Graterol was a very serviceable reliever for the Dodgers, and he was acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers via the Minnesota Twins after 2019.
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Brusdar Graterol’s MLB Career
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers relieves Brusdar Graterol #48 during the sixth inning of Game Five of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Brusdar Graterol is a six-year MLB veteran reliever out of Venezuela.
In five seasons with the Dodgers, Graterol has a 2.69 ERA over 181 innings with 138 strikeouts.
Perhaps his best season came in 2023, when Graterol held a 1.20 ERA over 68 appearances, notching seven saves. His career WHIP in 190.2 total innings is 1.044. A very solid reliever for the Dodgers from 2020 to 2023. He’s a two-time World Series champion with LA.
DodgersNation.com’s Nelson Espinal wrote (on May 2):
“Graterol came into Spring Training healthy, seemingly ready to start the season with the team, though he never made an appearance after the team shut him down due to low velocity. Graterol has been a missed arm out of the bullpen, with his high velocity and energy. He has been a reliable arm for the Dodgers since making his way onto the big leagues, though injuries have stopped him from having an impact for more than a year.”
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 28: Brusdar Graterol #48 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the New York Yankees in the sixth inning during Game Three of the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 28, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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