Dodgers reliever announces shoulder surgery that could put 2025 in jeopardy

The Los Angeles Dodgers were no stranger to injuries during the 2024 season. Their rotation was decimated over the course of year, Freddie Freeman basically had to drag his leg around and get shots constantly in the postseason (to surprisingly good results), and that isn't even accounting for the known long-term injuries that they started out October harboring.

It is honestly pretty remarkable that they were able to win the World Series with so many guys on the training table.

One player that dealt with more than his fair share of injuries this past season was Brusdar Graterol. The flamethrowing reliever went on the injured list in early August with a hamstring strain and, after a short return, found himself back on the IL with previously unspecified issues in his pitching shoulder.

Well, the scope of those shoulder troubles for Graterol this season are now known, as it was revealed on Friday that Graterol just underwent shoulder surgery to repair his labrum.

Dodgers propose extremely optimistic return timeline after Brusdar Graterol's surgery announcement

For pitchers, shoulder injuries are often far more problematic than elbow or other arm injuries. While the exact extent of Graterol's injury and subsequent repair isn't known beyond that it involves the labrum, shoulder surgeries are never good news, and are arguably worse for guys like Graterol who rely on power pitching to do their jobs.

If the surgery was more a clean-up procedure or a minor repair, then LA's optimism for Graterol returning in the second half of 2025 makes more sense. However, if it is a more significant repair, or he encounters even a single setback, Graterol pitching at all next season feels awfully optimistic.

What this means for the Dodgers is that they will want to up their focus on adding another high-leverage reliever. There was already chatter about LA trading with the Brewers for Devin Williams, and those rumors all of a sudden make a lot more sense with the news of Graterol's injury. The Dodgers are returning some strong arms, especially if some injured pitchers return to form, but their depth has been ravaged between injuries, free agent departures like Blake Treinen and Joe Kelly, and the retirement of Daniel Hudson.

Strap in, Dodgers fans, because the team has even more work to do to defend their World Series title.

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