Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — After the Dodgers’ 6-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, Brusdar Graterol sat at his locker, uniform still on, tears in his eyes as teammates and coaches offered consolation. Eight pitches into his season debut, after five months rehabilitating a shoulder injury, Graterol’s season likely ended with a Grade 3 strain (the most severe) of his right hamstring while throwing a sixth-inning fastball to J.T. Realmuto. Graterol clutched his leg and kneeled in pain, needing help off the field. Following his departure, the Phillies scored three runs, including a two-run single by Edmundo Sosa off right-hander Brent Honeywell, pushing their lead to 4-0.
“It’s super sad,” said pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who himself recently returned from shoulder surgery. “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. 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.”
Graterol, known as “Bazooka,” was one of the Dodgers’ top setup men last year, posting a 4-2 record with a 1.20 ERA and seven saves in 68 games. The Dodgers had hoped the 25-year-old’s return would bolster their struggling bullpen and provide manager Dave Roberts with an experienced arm for a potential postseason run. However, Roberts sounded pessimistic about Graterol’s prognosis post-game, announcing that Michael Grove would be activated to replace him on the roster.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Roberts said. “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.”
The Dodgers now face the challenge of moving forward without one of their key relievers as they continue their pursuit of a playoff spot.
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