Dodgers' Brusdar Graterol (hamstring) likely out for season after 8 pitches

The Los Angeles Dodgers likely will be without reliever Brusdar Graterol for the rest of the season after he suffered a severe hamstring injury in his 2024 debut Tuesday night, manager Dave Roberts said.

Graterol, who missed the first 113 games of the season as he rehabbed a shoulder injury, threw eight pitches in his comeback against the Philadelphia Phillies before being lifted after feeling a pop in his right leg.

"It was a pretty good blowout," Roberts said after the Dodgers' 6-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. "From what I understand, it's a Grade 3 hamstring (strain). That's a long way back. I feel terrible for him."

Graterol suffered the shoulder injury in spring training, one of many injuries to plague the Los Angeles pitching staff this season. Roberts was looking forward to having his right-hander back, hoping Graterol could replicate the 2023 season.

Graterol, who turns 26 later this month, was 4-2 with a 1.20 ERA and seven saves last season in 68 games (one start). He has career numbers of 11-9, a 2.89 ERA and 11 saves in 182 games (five starts) with the Minnesota Twins (2019) and Dodgers.

Clayton Kershaw, who only recently made his season debut after recovery from offseason surgery, said he understood what Graterol is going through.

"Super sad," said Kershaw, who gave up just one run in 4 2/3 innings but took the loss on Tuesday. "There's a lot of stuff that goes into coming back and getting on this field. Unless you've done it, you don't really know. We all feel for him. He loves to pitch, he loves to be out there, he loves to be with us. It's sad. If this is a season ender, it's really hard, obviously."

--Field Level Media