Dodgers' 2024 bullpen woes have no end in sight as more costly injuries mount

Maybe we spoke too soon about the Dodgers being mostly on the upswing from all of their injury woes. While things still look good for the position players — Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Tommy Edman — the bullpen can't seem to catch a break. This weekend, the Dodgers projected returns for both Brusdar Graterol and Michael Grove; Graterol hadn't pitched at all this season, as he recovered from a shoulder injury sustained during spring training.

He was activated for his season debut on Tuesday against the Phillies, with Blake Treinen going onto the IL with hip discomfort. Losing Treinen was a blow, but at least the Dodgers were getting another key bullpen piece back in the switch, right?

Nope. Graterol came in during the sixth, relieving Joe Kelly. He got Bryce Harper to fly out, gave up a single to Alec Bohm, then threw three pitches to JT Realmuto before grabbing his right leg in pain after the fourth. An injury delay commenced, and Graterol, now in tears, was eventually escorted off the field with help from a trainer and Kiké Hernández.

After the game, the Dodgers diagnosed the issue as a grade 3 hamstring strain, and the exit video is heartbreaking.

Brusdar Graterol headed to Dodgers IL again, this time with a severe hamstring strain

All told, Graterol threw just eight pitches before being pulled. This is a brutal development for him, as he's worked hard to get through one injury and help the Dodgers through the rest of the season, only to be immediately hit with an entirely separate issue. Dave Roberts said that Graterol has "a long road back," and that his season is most certainly over. A grade 3 strain is the most severe hamstring injury he could've incurred; it represents a complete tear of the muscle.

Grove is expected to be activated in Graterol's stead, but the Dodgers bullpen still took a one-two punch by losing Graterol and Treinen in the span of a day. Ryan Brasier is also still without a solid timeline to return.

The Dodgers' addition of Michael Kopech at the trade deadline has already started helping; Kopech has only given up a single hit over three innings in LA. Other than that, though, the Dodgers will have to figure out internal ways to cover for Graterol and Treinen's absences. We might be headed back to some dark days for the Dodgers bullpen.