Without a dedicated closer, the Los Angeles Dodgers went into the 2023 regular season expecting to rely on a combination of Yency Almonte, Brusdar Graterol, Evan Phillips and Alex Vesia, among others, to close games.
Through their first series of the year, only Andre Jackson has converted a save — when he pitched three innings after Clayton Kershaw on Sunday. Meanwhile, Phillips and Vesia are yet to appear in the ninth inning.
Almonte did so in a blowout win on Opening Day, and Graterol was tasked with keeping the game tied Sunday in his 2023 debut. He failed to do so as the Diamondbacks strung together four hits to take a decided 2-1 lead.
“Very uncharacteristic,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the loss. “Brusdar typically has really good command of the strike zone. There were a lot of arm-side misses and balls up in the zone. Just very uncharacteristic.
“Even the (Jake) McCarthy bunt base hit, it’s a play that if anybody is going to make that play, Brusdar is. He just couldn’t come up with it.”
Graterol’s troubles began when Ketel Marte led off the ninth inning by poking a chopper inside third base to beat the Dodgers’ shifted infield for a double. A dribbler to the right side then got by Miguel Vargas, but Mookie Betts threw out Marte at home plate in his first opportunity after shifting to the outfield.
Christian Walker then singled up the middle and Jake McCarthy’s RBI bunt hit later put Arizona ahead.
Graterol has a reputation for being a strong defender, and he appeared to be in position to make a play before potentially second-guessing whether to tag McCarthy or toss the ball to Freddie Freeman. Graterol wound up not fielding it cleanly.
“I don’t think in that situation, a plus-runner in McCarthy, you don’t have time,” Roberts noted of possibly throwing to first base. “You’re trying to get to the ball and then it’s a reactionary, athletic play. With the way that guy can defend, it’s hard to question him.”
Graterol’s appearance further highlighted some of his struggles to induce swing and miss despite possessing a talented arm.
“If the ball is in play, there’s always a chance for a hit,” Roberts acknowledged. “He’s got really good stuff, but to get a little bit more swing and miss would certainly take out a variable.”
Will Smith anticipates Brusdar Graterol bouncing back
When asked for his assessment of Graterol’s performance, Smith couldn’t pinpoint what caused his struggles but expressed confidence the right-hander would bounce back.
“Excited, nerves, whatever. The timing in his delivery. It could be a number of things,” Smith said.
“I know he works hard and I expect him to come out in his next outing and be really good.”
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