Shoulder surgeries concern me more than UCL TJ surgery. The Dodgers have two pitchers returning from 2024 shoulder surgeries(Gavin Stone and Brusdar Graterol), and one from 2025 surgery (Brock Stewart). Unlike Tommy John elbow reconstructions, from which pitchers routinely return to their previous performance level, serious shoulder operations have a significantly lower success rate.
Multiple Dodgers pitchers have undergone shoulder surgeries over the past several years. Gavin Stone revealed his October 2024 shoulder operation was a blend of what Clayton Kershaw and Brusdar Graterol had corrected.
“The capsule was a big thing. I don’t necessarily know what happened, but the capsule was being scraped by the bone, or something like that. And they did a partial labrum and partial rotator as well. Basically a new shoulder. Just trying to get healthy right now and get stronger is the main aspect.”
Stone is expected to start in MiLB and build up strength and stamina. The Dodgers will continue to build Stone up as a starter, but with their SP pitching depth, he could be considered a bullpen option similar to the way Urías came back. He will pitch in LA sometime this year.
Brusdar Graterol had torn labrum surgery in November 2024. The Dodgers were hopeful that Brusdar would be able to come back late in the 2025 season, but Graterol didn’t pitch at all in 2025. 2024 was also a lost year after tossing 7 1/3 big league innings and another 9 2/3 minor league rehab frames in 2024 due to troubles in that shoulder. 2023 was his last healthy season, and he was masterful. he pitched a career-high 67 1/3 innings with an exceptional 1.20 ERA.
Even with throwing in triple digits, Graterol only generated a18.7% strikeout rate, but he offset the lack of whiffs with a tiny 4.7% walk rate and a massive 64.4% ground-ball rate. With his lack of strikeouts, he may not have been the quintessential closer. But he was a heckuva setup guy, who could come in and get that ground ball double play ball. His career HR/9 is 0.5. He throws a very heavy sinker that hitters have a problem squaring up and hitting hard.
There is no reason to rush Brusdar. He just needs to come back healthy. This is his walk year. Both pitcher and team are anxious to see what he can do this year. With Scott Boras as his agent, I do not anticipate any semblance of an extension.
Brock Stewart had shoulder surgery September 2025. It was described as mostly cleanup. “Shaved up a bone spur, kind of took out part of my clavicle, took out the bursa. It just essentially gave me way more room for the head of my humerus to rotate,” Stewart added. “Feels much better. I can tell inherently it’s very much cleaned up. The throw feels good.”
Three other LAD SP had different levels of shoulder surgery prior to Stone and Stewart.
Hyun-Jin Ryu was operated on by team surgeon Dr Neal ElAttrache to repair the torn labrum in his left shoulder on May 21, 2015. Ryu pitched in one game in July 2016. He did not fully return from shoulder surgery until 2017. We can say Ryu returned completely as he was an All Star and #2 in CY voting in 2019 with the Dodgers…his walk year. He threw 182.2 innings that year.
Julio Urías underwent season-ending anterior capsule surgery on his left shoulder June 27, 2017. The estimated recovery time was 12-14 months. “The surgery was a success,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I don’t know in medical terms; all I know is in seeing the [email] thread from Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache, he’s a lot more optimistic than he was when he was first going to do the surgery.”
Urías would start 6 games in MiLB in 2018. He would pitch in 8 LAD games, with 7 starts in 2019. Fully back in 2020, where he was a WS hero.
Clayton Kershaw underwent surgery on his left shoulder on November 2023. It was not as significant of a surgery as were Ryu and Urías. Specifically, the surgery was to repair the glenohumeral ligaments and capsule. Clayton returned to the MLB mound on July 25, 2024. For 2024, Kersh had 7 starts and 30.0 IP. Not a good season in 2024, and 2025 was hit and miss. He got to go out as a WS Champion, so it was successful.
One other recent notable pitcher returning from shoulder surgery was Brewers RHSP, Brandon Woodruff. In October 2023, Woodruff had surgery to repair the anterior capsule in his throwing shoulder. Woodruff would not return until July 6, 2025. For 2025, he had 12 starts and 64.2 IP. That was 21-22 months of recovery.
After one bullpen session, Gavin Stone looks as if he could be ready to contribute early in 2026. But we fans have to be patient. He does not need to be rushed. The Dodgers have 4 years of control over the coveted RHSP.
Brusdar Graterol is not yet at that recovery level, but his surgery was more extensive than Stone’s. CBSSports has him out until at least April 10. 2026 is his walk year, but the Dodgers want to make sure he is healthy for that October run.
Brock Stewart’s surgery was more cleanup than repair, so his buildup should not be as extensive. CBSsports has him out until at least May 1.
If Blake Snell is on the IL to start the season, neither Stone nor Ryan figure to get start in his place. The team has said numerous times that they will be very cautious with those two. Way too valuable to rush back, especially with the team pitching depth.
AF sees LHP Justin Wrobleski as a starter, even after coming out of the bullpen last season. Per AF, “His ability to grow, mature, learn how to kind of harness the stuff and compete in those moments will serve him well of kind of how to try to navigate a lineup two, three times, so he’ll certainly be a candidate.”
Look for Wrobleski to start the season as the #7 SP.
