The Los Angeles Dodgers have been without one of their best relievers, right-hander Brusdar Graterol, since Monday.
He is one of the most reliable arms in the Dodgers bullpen, so not seeing him in four days has fired the alarms in Los Angeles, or at least among fans.
Manager Dave Roberts finally gave the media an update about what’s happening with Graterol.
“Dave Roberts said Brusdar Graterol has been unavailable the last couple nights. ‘It’s his arm,’ he said. They’ll see if he can be available tomorrow; if not they’ll have to make a decision,” Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic tweeted.
Dave Roberts said Brusdar Graterol has been unavailable the last couple nights. “It’s his arm,” he said. They’ll see if he can be available tomorrow; if not they’ll have to make a decision.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 6, 2023
Judging by what Ardaya said, if the Dodgers’ trainers and medical staff can’t have Graterol ready to pitch in a day or two, they could be considering sending him to the injured list.
There is no exact report about which part of his arm is affected.
It could be just fatigue, or perhaps structural damage.
Graterol has been a valued member of the Dodgers bullpen with a 1.95 ERA in 37 innings.
He also has a 1.19 WHIP and 27 strikeouts.
Graterol’s delivery seems effortless, but the arm and the shoulder do get some tension.
Hopefully there is no structural damage and he can return within the next couple of days.
Ardaya also said that LA is likely going to need another pitcher up soon anyway because Yency Almonte is about to go to the paternity list.
The Dodgers are fighting to reclaim the top spot in the AL West.
They were, as of Thursday afternoon, 1.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the division lead.
Having Graterol healthy would help their chances considerably.
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