Dodgers Place Edwin Uceta On Injured List, Recall Brusdar Graterol

The Dodgers have placed righty Edwin Uceta on the IL with a lumbar strain, according to Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register. His roster spot will go to fellow righty Brusdar Graterol.

Uceta has been on-and-off the roster constantly this year, having been optioned and recalled six times. This will also be his second stint on the IL with a back issue. The 23-year-old is well regarded, currently ranked the Dodgers’ #19 prospect by MLB Pipeline. That hasn’t translated to on-field success yet this year. In 17 2/3 MLB innings, he has an ERA of 7.64. Over 17 1/3 Triple-A innings, the ERA is 6.75. Although the advanced metrics like his work better, at both levels.

Graterol has had a very similar season, bouncing between the injured list, Triple-A and big leagues, though he’s been optioned half as many times as Uceta. In 16 2/3 innings at Triple-A, he has an ERA of 6.48. And in nine big league innings, his ERA is an even 6.00. Although, like Uceta, the advanced metrics like him more at both levels. The 22-year-old will be looking to get back into a groove and return to the form that made him a weapon for the Dodgers last year, when he had a 3.09 ERA during the regular season and a 3.52 ERA in the postseason.

In other news from Chavez Ravine, Trea Turner will be flying into Los Angeles on Friday, according to Juan Toribio of MLB.com. Friday will be the 10th day after Turner’s positive COVID-19 test, meaning his minimum quarantine period will have elapsed. But at this point, it’s unclear if he will be immediately activated by the club.