Brusdar Graterol's Injury Saga Continues: Will He Ever Fully Recover?
Baseball fans held their breath as Brusdar Graterol bravely returned to the mound during the 2024 World Series, despite battling right shoulder issues. But here's where it gets concerning: those lingering injuries are now casting a shadow over his 2025 season. And this is the part most people miss—the impact of these recurring injuries on a player's long-term career.
The Los Angeles Dodgers placed Graterol on the 15-day injured list during the final week of the 2024 season due to right shoulder inflammation. After a brief World Series appearance against the New York Yankees, where he pitched 2.1 innings, he underwent labrum repair surgery in November. Initially, the Dodgers anticipated Graterol would miss at least the first half of 2025, and he started the season on the 60-day injured list, never making it to the mound for a rehab assignment.
Latest Update: Slow Progress for Graterol
While the Dodgers had hoped for a full recovery this year, the 27-year-old is still not at full strength. According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts emphasized a cautious approach, noting that Graterol's progress has been slower than expected. 'The ball isn’t coming out the way they’d hoped,' Ardaya reported, highlighting the ongoing challenges of recovering from shoulder surgery.
This situation echoes Graterol's medical history, which reportedly complicated a potential three-team trade involving the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, and Dodgers. Ultimately, the Dodgers retained Graterol while trading Kenta Maeda to the Twins and renegotiating terms with the Red Sox for Mookie Betts and David Price.
Graterol isn’t alone in his slow start; pitchers like Blake Snell, Evan Phillips, and Brock Stewart are also behind schedule, with Phillips and Stewart recovering from surgeries. Snell, meanwhile, revealed he pitched through left shoulder inflammation during the World Series, similar to issues he faced earlier in the season. This has led to a more cautious approach for him this spring.
While Graterol’s update is disconcerting, there’s still time for him to get back on track before Opening Day. However, the Dodgers are prioritizing long-term health over short-term gains. 'We’ve got a long camp. Longer than we’ve had in recent years, so try to get guys to start slow but intentional, methodical,' Roberts explained.
Controversial Question: Are Teams Doing Enough to Protect Their Players’ Long-Term Health?
This raises a thought-provoking question: In the high-stakes world of professional sports, are teams doing enough to safeguard their players’ long-term health, or is the pressure to win now overshadowing future well-being? Share your thoughts in the comments—do you think the Dodgers are handling Graterol’s recovery correctly, or should they be more aggressive in getting him back on the field?
