Justin Bruihl was among the 39 players to pitch in a game for the Los Angeles Dodgers last year and arguably had the most unique journey of anyone from the group.
The left-hander was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017, and prior to this year, had never pitched above High-A. He began his campaign at Double-A Tulsa before earning a promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City in June, going a combined 4-0 with a 2.63 ERA and 50 strikeouts over 26 games.
Bruihl received his first big league promotion on Aug. 8 as the corresponding move to Garrett Cleavinger being placed on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain.
The 24-year-old made his MLB debut against the L.A. Angels that same day and tossed 1.2 scoreless innings. Bruihl was the 32nd pitcher used by the Dodgers, which set a new franchise record.
From that point on Bruihl emerged as a key reliever for the team. In 21 regular season games, he went 0-1 with a 2.89 ERA, 3.97 FIP and 1.07 WHIP in 18.2 innings of work. The 24-year-old also tossed two scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series.
While it can be overwhelming to make the jump from Double-A to the Majors in one season, Bruihl felt he was prepared for the possibility. “It definitely was a little bit shocking,” he said last August.
“I wouldn’t say I didn’t expect it, because this was my goal to start the year,” Bruihl said. “I wanted to make it to the big leagues this year. A little bit surprising, but at the same time I felt like I was ready for it.”
Bruihl’s 2021 highlight
From his MLB debut on Aug. 8 through Sept. 12, Bruihl tossed scoreless outings in 13 of his first 14 appearances. He posted a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings pitched and collected nine strikeouts against six walks during the span.
2022 outlook
Bruihl remains under team control and figures to compete for a spot in the Dodgers’ Opening Day bullpen during Spring Training.
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