LOS ANGELES — Brusdar Graterol’s much-awaited season debut on Tuesday night was cut short after the Los Angeles Dodgers reliever delivered a 92 mph fastball and bent over in pain. The hard-throwing, lovable right-hander was in tears as head athletic trainer Thomas Albert and teammate Kiké Hernández helped him back to the dugout.
Graterol had yet to pitch this season because of a shoulder issue that cropped up toward the end of spring training and nagged at him for months. A load roar marked the fan favorite’s return in the Dodgers’ 114th game of the season against the Philadelphia Phillies, only to be replaced by groans of concern just minutes later.
Graterol’s eighth pitch sailed above the zone well below his customary velocity and the hulking reliever was in clear discomfort as he reached behind his leg.
The Dodgers said Graterol strained his right hamstring.
The 25-year-old reliever has emerged as one of manager Dave Roberts’ most trustworthy options in recent seasons, with the lowest ERA in baseball last season (1.20) among pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched. The Dodgers have envisioned not just including him in their October bullpen, but relying heavily upon him. Instead, Graterol leaned on Roberts’ shoulder and wept.
The Dodgers’ injuries are numerous and significant. Tuesday could have been another encouraging step for a club returning to full strength. A day after Freddie Freeman returned from family emergency leave, Clayton Kershaw turned in his most encouraging start in his return from offseason shoulder surgery. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, out since June with a strained rotator cuff, threw a bullpen session and could face hitters next week.
Instead, it ended with an outpouring of emotion for Graterol, yet another injury for one of their most trusted pieces.
(Photo of Brusdar Graterol being helped off the field by Kiké Hernández and head athletic trainer Thomas Albert: Harry How / Getty Images)
