Brusdar Graterol Suffers Setback, Won't Return to Dodgers Any Time Soon

Just when there was some optimism surrounding the return of veteran relief pitcher Brusdar Graterol for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the rug was pulled out from under him.

Graterol suffered a setback in his recovery from injury during a rehab assignment, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

Graterol's back flared up on him, and this will push his return back even longer. He will now undergo further evaluation.

Brusdar Graterol is getting pulled off of his rehab assignment and undergoing further evaluation, sources said. His back flared up on him and he’s going in for imaging. This obviously sets his timeline way back for a potential return. Velocity was down in his last outing.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) May 15, 2026

In his last outing, Graterol's velocity was down, which can also be an indicator of something being wrong with the pitcher. Graterol is the type of pitcher who relies on his hard-throwing ability, so making sure that he is ready to go will be crucial for Los Angeles.

Graterol missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing labrum surgery at the end of 2024. Before the surgery, the right-hander had been one of the more crucial relief pitchers for LA.

The veteran hasn't pitched at the big league level since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. Graterol put up an ERA of 2.45, only appearing in seven games for the team during the 2024 regular season

This setback is extremely unfortunate for both Graterol and the Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts had commented on the recovery of Graterol just a few weeks ago, and the right-hander was gearing up to help this team.

Graterol has been gearing up for a return around the start of June. But now, it remains to be seen when he will get back on the mound.

“He hasn’t pitched a whole lot in the last two, three years. So his buildup needs to be methodical,” Roberts said at the time. “I’m looking forward to him getting going."

With this injury setback, the Dodgers will now have to look elsewhere to help bolster the bullpen. Los Angeles has already lost star closer Edwin Díaz to elbow surgery for a few months, so others are going to need to continue to step up.

Díaz is likely to return in about three months, so guys like Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia will continue to be relied upon. The Dodgers won't rush Graterol, but this is certainly not the result that Los Angeles was hoping for.

Graterol was a key piece of the Dodgers bullpen in 2023, appearing in 68 games and sporting a 1.20 ERA.

Since, he's appeared in just seven regular season games over parts of three seasons.

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