Dodgers Recall Brusdar Graterol, Place Max Muncy On Paternity Leave
The Dodgers made a number of expected roster moves this evening, namely placing Max Muncy on paternity leave and recalling right-hander Brusdar Graterol to take his roster spot, per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
Muncy shouldn’t be away for overlong, which is a good thing given the monster season he’s having thus far. The All-Star has posted 4.7 rWAR with a triple slash line of .273/.413/.565 over 351 plate appearances. He continues to be, if not the most recognizable Dodger star, one of their most efficient performers.
As for Graterol, things have not gone as smoothly since joining the Dodgers as part of the Mookie Betts‘ deal. He was reportedly out of shape upon arriving to spring training, and he has yet to contribute much in the way of positive value this season. Still, with the Dodgers looking outside the organization for bullpen help, the 22-year-old former top prospect might represent the best hope for internal improvement.
Otherwise, southpaw Darien Nunez was also recalled, while Garrett Cleavinger was optioned to Triple-A. Nunez has been solid in Triple-A, posting a 2.70 ERA through 16 appearances covering 30 innings. He has four outings with the big-league club, tossing six innings and giving up four earned runs on five hits, including two long balls.
Cleavinger, meanwhile, has been a big part of manager Dave Roberts’ bullpen. The 27-year-old swingman has made 20 appearances (including one start) and tossed 17 innings with an impressive 2.12 ERA. He hasn’t been used that much of late, however, with just one total inning dating back to July 11th. Heading back to Triple-A for a spell should give him the opportunity to get some work in.
Dodgers Notes: Betts, Bellinger, Gonsolin, Graterol
Mookie Betts was a late scratch from today’s game due to a sore left shoulder, per the Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya (via Twitter). It makes sense for the Dodgers to be cautious with Betts, given that he has dealt with a number of smaller injuries so far this season. He has played in 38 of their 46 games so far this season. When in the lineup, he hasn’t been his usual MVP-level self, though he’s still managed to produce 29 percent better than average with a .258/.366/.452 line at the plate. While we’re here, let’s get some other health updates from Los Angeles…
- The Dodgers may soon see their other MVP outfielder return to the lineup. Cody Bellinger could be “seven or eight” days from returning, per Jorge Castillo of the LA Times (via Twitter). Bellinger played in just four games before a lower leg stress fracture sent him to the shelf. Centerfield has been a patchwork effort without Bellinger, mostly handled by the ever-useful Chris Taylor. Taylor has been excellent in Bellinger’s place, and he’ll be put to use elsewhere around the diamond when Bellinger returns.
- Tony Gonsolin looked great in his first rehab assignment today, tossing three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register (via Twitter). He’ll start again in another five days in the hopes of soon joining the Dodgers’ rotation. Though Gonsolin started the season in the bullpen, Dustin May‘s injury has opened up a rotation spot.
- Brusdar Graterol is also nearing a return. Per Plunkett, Graterol threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Friday, and if he throws another successful one on Tuesday, he could begin a rehab assignment soon after. Graterol made just three appearances after getting a late start to the season.
Health Notes: Sale, Middleton, Odor, Ona, Graterol
Red Sox ace Chris Sale worked off a mound today for the first time in his recovery from March 2020 Tommy John surgery, Jen McCaffrey of the Athletic was among those to relay (Twitter link). There’s still no timetable for Sale’s potential return to game action, although getting on the mound obviously represents a notable step forward. At 18-13, the Red Sox are off to a strong start and could be a legitimate contender in a tough AL East. Boston’s rotation looks to be the weak point on the roster, but it’s held up fairly well so far. Sox starters have a middle-of-the-pack 4.02 ERA/4.00 SIERA over the season’s first month-plus.
Other health situations around the league:
- This morning, the Mariners announced they’ve placed reliever Keynan Middleton on the 10-day injured list with a right biceps strain. Fellow righty Wyatt Mills was recalled in his place. Middleton, 27, has tossed 11 2/3 innings of five-run ball in the early going, striking out nine against six walks. Middleton, who underwent a Tommy John surgery in May 2018, spent the 2017-20 seasons with the division-rival Angels.
- The Yankees placed infielder Rougned Odor on the 10-day injured list this afternoon. He’s dealing with a left knee sprain. Right-hander Albert Abreu was recalled to take his place on the active roster. Odor, acquired from the Rangers at the beginning of the regular season, hasn’t offered a whole lot offensively in the early going. He’s hitting just .164/.271/.361 over his first 70 plate appearances with New York. To his credit, Odor has massively improved upon his strikeout and walk rates from recent seasons though.
- Padres outfielder Jorge Oña underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow yesterday, Dennis Lin of the Athletic was among those to pass along (Twitter link). He’s expected to be out of action for six to eight weeks. Oña, 24, made a very brief MLB debut last season, tallying 15 plate appearances over five games. Other than that limited major league time, Oña only has 103 trips to the plate above the low minors (in Double-A in 2019), so he likely would’ve started the year at Triple-A El Paso even if he’d been healthy.
- Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol, placed on the injured list last week because of forearm tightness, was known to be headed for an MRI. Fortunately, testing showed no structural damage, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). That’s especially welcome news since the flamethrowing Graterol underwent a Tommy John procedure back in 2016. There’s still no indication when he might return to game action.
Health Notes: Ohtani, Mondesi, Graterol, Mikolas, D-backs,
Right-hander Shohei Ohtani was supposed to take the mound for the Angels in their game against the Rays on Monday, but the team scratched him in favor of lefty Jose Quintana because of elbow soreness. Ohtani swas hit by pitch on Sunday, and manager Joe Maddon told reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times) that he’s now “too sore to throw.” However, there’s still a chance he’ll start sometime during this four-game set versus Tampa Bay. Even if that doesn’t happen, Ohtani feels well enough to hit, so the DH will continue making an offensive impact. Ohtani has only made three starts and pitched 13 2/3 innings this season, but he has overcome control problems (13 walks) to log a 3.29 ERA with 23 strikeouts and a 62.5 percent groundball percentage. He has complemented his pitching performance with a power-packed .270/.318/.620 line, eight homers and six stolen bases over 107 plate appearances as a hitter.
- Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi will start doing pregame work with the team this week and could begin a rehab assignment next week, per general manager Dayton Moore (via Anne Rogers of MLB.com). The Royals have gone all season without Mondesi, the reigning stolen base champion who strained his right oblique during the spring. Despite Mondesi’s absence, the Royals entered Monday with a surprising 16-10 record – the best mark in the majors. Nicky Lopez has filled in capably for Mondesi during KC’s fast start.
- Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol will undergo an MRI on his ailing right forearm Tuesday, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times tweets. The team placed Graterol on the IL last Thursday with forearm tightness – a rather ominous-sounding injury for someone who underwent Tommy John surgery in the past – and the 22-year-old hasn’t resumed throwing since then, according to Castillo. The Dodgers lost another of their promising young hurlers, righty starter Dustin May, to the dreaded TJ diagnosis on Monday.
- Cardinals righty Miles Mikolas will make a rehab start with Triple-A Memphis this week, and he’ll “likely” go four innings, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat writes. Mikolas hasn’t pitched in the majors this year because of shoulder problems, after he sat out all of last season on account of flexor tendon surgery. His most recent MLB outing occurred Oct. 11, 2019.
- The Diamondbacks have reinstated first baseman Christian Walker and outfielder Tim Locastro from the IL, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic tweets. The club optioned outfielder Nick Heath and infielder Andrew Young in corresponding moves. The Diamondbacks have been without Walker since April 12 because of a right oblique strain, while Locastro suffered a dislocated finger April 17. Walker had a rough go early on with a .179/.250/.282 line and one homer in 44 trips to the plate. Locastro, meantime, took 58 PA last month and batted .269/.345/.327 with an HR and three steals.
Dodgers Place Brusdar Graterol On 10-Day IL
The Dodgers have placed right-hander Brusdar Graterol on the 10-day injured list with forearm tightness, per a club announcement. To take Graterol’s roster spot, the Dodgers recalled righty Edwin Uceta.
A forearm issue is particularly unwelcome news regarding Graterol, who underwent Tommy John surgery as a Twins prospect in 2016 and also battled shoulder problems as a member of the organization. Minnesota bid adieu to the flamethrowing Graterol before last season, when it sent him to Los Angeles in a trade centering on righty Kenta Maeda.
Graterol emerged as an important part of the Dodgers’ bullpen during his first year with the organization. He totaled 23 1/3 innings of 3.09 ERA/3.70 SIERA pitching, and though his 99 mph fastball velocity only led to a 14.8 strikeout percentage, he offset that with elite groundball and walk percentages of 62.3 and 3.4, respectively. Graterol added another 7 2/3 innings of three-run ball during the Dodgers’ postseason run to the World Series.
Health setbacks have stood in the way this season for the 22-year-old Graterol, who opened the campaign on the IL after battling COVID-19. Graterol didn’t make his first appearance until April 18, and he has since allowed three earned runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout over three outings and 1 1/3 frames. He’s now the third Dodgers reliever to land on the shelf in the past week, joining Corey Knebel and David Price.
The Dodgers will now get their first major league look at the 23-year-old Uceta, who divided the 2019 minors season between High-A and Double-A. Uceta thrived during that 123 1/3-inning span, in which he recorded a 2.77 ERA and racked up 141 strikeouts against 49 walks. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen ranked Uceta 35th among Dodgers farmhands over the winter, writing that he could turn into a No. 4 or 5 starter at the MLB level.
Dodgers Place Gavin Lux On Injured List, Activate Brusdar Graterol
The Dodgers are placing second baseman Gavin Lux on the 10-day injured list with right wrist soreness, retroactive to April 16, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times and Juan Toribio of MLB.com were among those to pass along. Infielder Sheldon Neuse is being recalled to take his place on the active roster. Additionally, right-hander Brusdar Graterol is being activated from the injured list, with fellow reliever Alex Vesia optioned out in a corresponding move.
Lux is having issue swinging a bat, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register), but the Dodgers don’t believe he’ll be in for lengthy absence. Roberts noted he expects Lux to be in position to return when first eligible for activation on April 26. The Dodgers will turn to Neuse, who was acquired from the Athletics over the offseason, this afternoon to make his team debut.
Like Neuse, Graterol is in position to play for the first time this season. The fireballing reliever was delayed in camp but returns to the bullpen a couple weeks into the regular season. He tossed 23.1 innings of 3.09 ERA/3.70 SIERA ball last season.
To clear 40-man roster space for Graterol’s activation, the Dodgers placed right-hander Ashton Goudeau on waivers, where he was claimed by the Rockies. Goudeau actually broke into the majors with Colorado last season, tossing 8.1 innings over four games. He’s since bounced between a handful of teams on waivers, going from the Rockies to the Pirates to the Orioles to the Giants before landing in Los Angeles. Now, he’ll head back to the Rockies in hopes of sticking on a roster. To clear 40-man roster space for Goudeau, Colorado transferred utilityman Chris Owings (thumb) to the 60-day injured list.
Quick Hits: Rodon, Bellinger, Graterol, Mazara, Stripling
Carlos Rodon was perfect through 8 1/3 innings tonight against the Indians. A backfoot slider skipped off the top of Roberto Perez‘s right foot, ending his bid for a perfect game. Rodon managed to complete the no hitter, however, with a masterful 114-pitch complete game shutout. Coming into this season, the former third overall pick was in a battle for the fifth starter job in the White Sox rotation. But tonight, the burly southpaw routinely hit 97 mph on the radar gun (hitting as high as 99 mph in the ninth inning). Certainly, Rodon wasn’t all that high up on the list of pitchers likeliest to throw what would have been the first perfect game in the Majors since 2012: He hasn’t posted an ERA under five since 2018, and he was designated for assignment this winter. Yet, tonight’s start marked the culmination of an arduous journey through numerous injuries and multiple arm surgeries. Congrats to Rodon on throwing the 20th no-hitter in White Sox franchise history. Now, let’s check in on some players still making their way back from injury…
- Cody Bellinger and Brusdar Graterol will both join the Dodgers on their forthcoming road trip, but neither is a guarantee to be activated. Belligner is still experiencing some swelling in his calf, and he’s yet to run the bases as full speed, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com (via Twitter). Bellinger has been out since April 5th. As for Graterol, he’ll be added to the taxi squad, per Jorge Castillo of the LA Times (via Twitter). It’s not entirely clear why Graterol wasn’t ready to start the season, but it’s only a matter of time until he becomes available out of the bullpen for manager Dave Roberts.
- Nomar Mazara left Wednesday night’s game with a left abdominal strain, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. There’s no timetable for his return. In the meantime, JaCoby Jones and Victor Reyes should have more opportunities in the starting lineup. Both outfielders have seen their playing time cut both by the offseason acquisition of Robbie Grossman and the early-season breakout from Akil Baddoo. Both Reyes (30 wRC+) and Jones (-10 wRC+) are off to slow starts through their first week of games.
- Ross Stripling is dealing with forearm tightness, but the Blue Jays don’t have any information beyond that, per Scott Mitchell of TSN Sports (via Twitter). The former Dodger has been tagged for seven earned runs on 13 hits and three walks over 8 1/3 innings so far.
Quick Hits: Twins, Braves, Dodgers
Josh Donaldson ran the bases well enough progress to the next portion of his rehab, suggesting a return to the Twins as early as Monday or Tuesday, per Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com (via Twitter). When Donaldson does return, he’ll put his perfect season on the line. He doubled in his only plate appearance of the season before straining his hamstring. Luis Arraez, however, has maintained the potency of the hot corner while Donaldson’s been away. Arraez has slashed .381/.462/.571 while starting six of the seven games since the injury. Willians Astudillo started on Arraez’s day off, going 0-2 while driving in a run with a sac fly. Elsewhere…
- Braves setup man Chris Martin will be eligible to come off the injured list on April 17th, but manager Brian Snitker doesn’t think it will be that simple, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com (via Twitter). Martin’s shoulder only recently became an area of concern. Still, Martin is looking at a longer-than-minimal stay on the injured list. In the meantime, Sean Newcomb and Jacob Webb will have the opportunity to raise their stock in the Atlanta pen, per the Athletic’s David O’Brien (via Twitter). Webb from the right side and Newcomb from the left will try to soak up some of Martin’s setup duties.
- Brusdar Graterol is readying to make his season debut. Per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter), Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “Everything looked good, so we’re trying to figure out the next step. We’re hoping to get him back soon. Just hesitant to put a day on it.” Graterol got a late start in preparing for the season, leaving Blake Treinen, Corey Knebel, and Kenley Jansen as the late-game righties available to Roberts. The Dodgers have high hopes that the 22-year-old Graterol can be weaponized either as a traditional setup man or as a multi-inning option out of the pen.
NL West Injury Notes: Dodgers, Rockies, Giants
Brusdar Graterol‘s placement on the 60-day injured list was either a procedural move or incorrect, depending on who you ask, but the Dodgers‘ right-hander does plan on returning to the field in less than 60 days. His delayed debut this season is “related to COVID from the past,” per Jorge Castillo of the LA Times. It’s a peculiar situation surrounding the flame-throwing Venezuelan. He’s not hurt, simply behind. He didn’t begin throwing this spring until late in March, and he’s still working himself into game shape. Let’s make the rounds to see how other arms are progressing out west…
- Kyle Freeland is working his way back from a shoulder injury suffered near the end of spring training, and there’s no timetable for his return. That said, he does appear to be making progress, per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Specifics remain scarce, but the presumption seems to be that Freeland’s injury won’t threaten his season. The Rockies are able to start the season with a four man rotation, but they’ll soon need to add another arm to the mix beyond German Marquez, Antonio Senzatela, Jon Gray, and Austin Gomber. Newly-signed Jhoulys Chacin could be a candidate for bulk innings. Keep an eye on Antonio Santos in the long-term. The 24-year-old righty made his debut last season after just eight starts in Double-A. He may not be the first name called this season, but he’s likely to find his way back to the Majors at some point in 2021.
- The Giants released a number of injury updates, per MLB.com’s Maria I. Guardado (via Twitter). Jaylin Davis will be out for four to six weeks as he rehabs left knee tendinitis. John Brebbia and Tyler Beede are both throwing twice-weekly bullpens as they prepare to come back from Tommy John surgery. Dedniel Nunez underwent his own Tommy John surgery this past Tuesday, and he will begin his rehab process this week. Lastly, Alex Wood threw a sim game as he tries to return from a lower back strain. Wood was expected to play a big role in the Giants rotation picture this season, and they still hope that’s the case.
Dodgers Considering Options For Game Seven Starter
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts declined the opportunity to definitively name his game seven starter after tonight’s win, per J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group and others (via Twitter).
Tony Gonsolin lines up for the job after stepping in to start game two for Clayton Kershaw. Gonsolin is not the guy the Dodgers would plan in a vacuum to take the ball in a must-win moment, but he nonetheless remains the most likely to see chunk innings tomorrow night, per MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick (via Twitter). The 26-year-old Gonsolin served as as swingman the past two seasons for the Dodgers, performing ably to a 2.60 ERA/3.02 FIP across 86 2/3 innings. His game two start was his first and only postseason appearance, however. He lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up 5 earned runs on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 7.
Kershaw will be on just two days rest after back spasms scratched him from his originally-scheduled game two start. Roberts will check in with him tomorrow to see about the possibility of appearing in relief, notes Gurnick. Kershaw in relief hasn’t always ended the way the Dodgers would have liked, including last postseason when he surrendered back-to-back home runs to Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto to tie a similar win-or-go-home game five of the NLDS. Still, he’s a weapon if he’s available. In that same game against the Nationals, remember, he entered the game to retire Adam Eaton – which he did, via strikeout. It was only when pushed to another inning that the Nats’ big guns got the best of him.
The Dodgers could turn to Julio Urías in a similar capacity, though Urías would be throwing on three days rest after tossing over 100 pitches in game three’s shellacking. After tonight, Walker Buehler is probably the only arm on the roster who is absolutely outside the realm of possibility. Closer Kenley Jansen could also be a difficult call. He’s returned to form, but an outing tomorrow night would be three consecutive games and four in the last five.
Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register put forth an interesting suggestion (via Twitter): Brusdar Graterol could function as an opener to be followed by Gonsolin and Urías. The hard-throwing Graterol has to be pretty high up the list in terms of likelihood of seeing action – especially since he didn’t make his way into game six. Putting him out there to start the game would certainly be interesting. He was a starter for most of his minor league career with the Twins, after all.