The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled Edwin Uceta and optioned Brusdar Graterol to Triple-A Oklahoma City ahead of Saturday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Garrett Cleavinger was also recalled as a corresponding move to Tony Gonsolin being put on the 10-day injured list.
Uceta is back up with the Dodgers for a sixth stint this season, though it’s his first since suffering a left lumbar strain that forced him to the IL on July 10. Uceta was activated 10 days later but immediately optioned to Oklahoma City.
The right-hander made his MLB debut against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 30 and has gone 0-3 with n 8.10 ERA in 11 games (one start) for L.A. this season. Uceta has also struggled in OKC, where he’s 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA across six games (three starts).
Prior to this season he had never pitched above Double-A. Uceta was part of the Dodgers’ player pool last year but got suspended and placed on the restricted list to finish out the year.
At the conclusion of the 2020 season, Uceta participated in the Dominican Winter League, where he posted a 1.96 ERA over six appearances and faced multiple All-Stars. “When I went up there I basically pitched against the Toros del Este, which had most of the Major League talent,” Uceta recently said.
“Some players like Gary Sanchez and Yasiel Puig, so that really helped me out.”
Graterol trying to fine tune
Graterol heads back to Oklahoma City after being charged with one run in one-plus innings of a 6-5 walk-off loss. Graterol worked around a double and walk in the fifth inning by retiring the next three batters, but was removed after allowing a leadoff single in the sixth.
On the season he’s 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA and appeared in just 10 games for the Dodgers. Some of that was due to missing time because of right forearm tightness, and another factor being the club wanting Graterol to refine his pitch mix.
“We just feel right now, where he’s at, it’s a finishing school,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained earlier this month of activating Graterol off the IL and immediately optioning him to OKC.
“The arm is healthy, the ball is coming out but the slider is not as consistent as it needs to be to get Major League hitters out consistently. And the sinker is not commanded the way it needs to be.
“So I think that the option just allows for him to have a clear path to go out there and pitch regularly, get the sinker down in the zone and continue to work on that slider. When he does that, I expect to see him.”
Graterol is 2-2 with a 6.48 ERA across 17 relief appearances for Oklahoma City, but has had scoreless efforts in 13 of those games.
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