While the Los Angeles Dodgers recently welcomed back Mookie Betts from a right oblique strain, they have lost several pitchers to injury this month.
Tyler Glasnow (back spasms), Brock Stewart (bone spur in left foot) and Blake Snell (loose bodies in left elbow) have all landed on the 15-day injured list in recent weeks. Snell underwent left elbow surgery on May 19 to have three bone chips removed.
Brusdar Graterol was also pulled from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City last week due to a potential back injury, marking the latest hurdle in his return from right shoulder surgery.
The aforementioned names join a long list of Dodgers pitchers who were injured earlier this year, including Edwin Díaz, Ben Casparius, Landon Knack, Gavin Stone and Bobby Miller.
“It does feel like every year we go through it,” Roberts said of the Dodgers losing an abundance of pitchers to injuries each season. “What I have learned every year is we get through it. It doesn’t feel great when you’re in it.
“In Spring Training, we were looking at the plethora, but in baseball it happens all the time with pitching. So here we are.”
During their 2025 World Series championship season, the team was without Glasnow, Snell, Stewart, Clayton Kershaw, Emmet Sheehan, Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech, Kirby Yates and Tony Gonsolin for various parts of the year.
It looked bleak at times for the Dodgers, but they were able to weather the storm in large part due to their depth and other unlikely players stepping up. L.A. eventually got back some of their key contributors, who went on to play a big role in the team repeating as World Series champions.
That strategy is something the Dodgers will again look to rely on as they try to become the first team in 26 years to win three consecutive World Series titles.
Dodgers injury outlook
As of now, the Dodgers are expecting most of their key injured pitchers to return at some point this season. That includes Snell, who could have a shorter recovery time after his surgery was completed with the NanoNeedle scope.
“It went well. As well as to be expected,” Roberts said of the procedure. “I guess the nano thing was a good thing, obviously. So the recovery is cut much shorter. I don’t have a timeline. I just know that it’s shorter than what we initially anticipated.
“Texted with him today, wished him well. He’s in good spirits and excited to get back to playing.”
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