The Los Angeles Dodgers began the 2026 season without Brock Stewart in their bullpen due to his ongoing recovery from last year’s right shoulder surgery but optimistic he wouldn’t miss much time.
That notion was further validated when Stewart began a rehab assignment on April 14. His importance increased in the wake of Edwin Díaz undergoing right elbow surgery and Brusdar Graterol’s long road to a return remaining somewhat stagnant.
Brock Stewart’s rehab assignment
Stewart’s first two Minor League games were both with Single-A Ontario and came in a span of four days. He pitched a combined 1.2 scoreless innings and struck out three batters in those appearances.
Stewart then moved his rehab assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma City, who he’s been with since April 21. After the right-hander again pitched twice over a four-day stretch, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts outlined the expected progression from there.
“That would probably be in about three, four or five days,” Roberts said of Stewart needing to make back-to-back appearances. “Because after you do the one, you got to have a couple days and then do the back-to-backs, and then a couple days of recovery to see how he responds.
“I would say that’s kind of our plan, and hopefully we don’t feel the need to have to deviate from that plan, that total progression. Things can change, but that’s sort of the plan.”
Stewart proceeded to make another appearance on April 26 before seemingly checking the final box of pitching in each of the last two nights.
But whereas each of his first six rehab games saw Stewart face multiple batters — completing one inning in five of them — he entered with two outs in the seventh inning on Thursday night. The 34-year-old struck out the lone batter he faced.
As Roberts was forecasting what lied ahead for Stewart, he noted getting activated off the 15-day injured list would become a “real conversation” once he completed the back-to-back exercise.
Given that Stewart likely needs multiple days of rest before pitching again, the early estimate would appear to be he returns next week during the Dodgers’ series against the Houston Astros.
Overall on his rehab assignment thus far, Stewart has allowed just three hits, hit one batter and walked two while collecting 12 strikeouts across six scoreless innings.
He’s looking to contribute out of the Dodgers bullpen after making just four appearances upon being acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline in 2025.
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