Dodgers lose important reliever after season debut cut short

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Brusdar Graterol suffered a likely season-ending hamstring injury in his 2024 season debut on Tuesday night.

According to a report by ESPN's Alden Gonzalez , Graterol "felt a pop in the back of his right leg" following his eighth pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the top of the sixth inning and "the tears flowed shortly thereafter." Gonzalez added that the righty could "barely finish his delivery, immediately grabbing his right leg before resting his hands on his knees."

"It was a pretty good blowout," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "... I feel terrible for him."

The 25-year-old Graterol was assisted off the diamond by infielder Enrique Hernandez and head athletic trainer Thomas Albert.

He entered 2024 slated to be one of the team's top setup men for closer Evan Phillips, fresh off a career year in 2023.

Graterol went 4-2 with career bests in ERA (1.20), saves (seven) and strikeouts (48) while registering a 0.97 WHIP across 67 1/3 inning pitched in 68 games last season. Graterol led all Los Angeles pitchers in ERA and tied Caleb Ferguson in games pitched.

The Venezuelan was also at the center of one of the best feel-good stories of the Dodgers' 2023 campaign when he and his mother reunited after not seeing each other for seven years. Graterol's mom, Ysmalia, witnessed her son pitch a 1-2-3 inning days later against the Detroit Tigers and fired a perfect first pitch herself prior to a contest later that week.

He suffered a shoulder injury early in 2024 spring training, though, and had a setback as he was close to his return in April. Graterol wasn't activated off the injured list until Monday and is now likely going back on the IL.