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.
With Snell most likely starting the year on the IL, I would think Wrobo takes his place since all the rest of their starters are right-handed. Snell is the only lefty in the rotation. And there are a bunch of left-handed thumpers in the NL West.
With the complete game now as extinct as the Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis – leave it alone Fred) and long relievers disappearing in favor of high leverage 3 out relievers as well, I’m curious about possibly using a few of the young recovering starters in what is referred to as a “Developmental Tool: long relievers, often young prospects or struggling starters, using the role to develop velocity and skills.” Gavin Stone and Brock Stewart might be candidates for this multi inning role. So would Wrobleski, giving flexibility to the 6-9 inning bullpen workload.
Is River Ryan a starter or a closer? Ben Casparius, Kyle Hurt, Landon Knack. It’s a long season. Is it possible to use these guys in multi inning roles early, saving the older high paid relievers for September/October? Just thinking out loud here.
I’m in favor of it.
impennis?
I would say Kersh’s 2025 season was better than hit or miss. I don’t think we win the West without him. 11-2 with a .336 era which would have ranked him 18th in mlb era.if he pitched more innings. Better era than Joe Ryan and Framber Valdez.
First of all, I am not about to compare Kersh to Joe Ryan or Framber Valdez. They are nowhere near Kershaw’s level of talent.
Here is why I think he had a hit and miss season. His 3.36 ERA was not good at all for Clayton Kershaw. Neither was his 1.216 WHIP. His SO/BB was his worst since his 1st and 2nd year in MLB. He was not the same pitcher as he was pre-surgery. It was his 4th worst season for ERA. The other three were his rookie season, his 2024 season (returned from surgery), and his 2021 season, which was another hit and miss season due to injuries.
He did not pitch until May.
· May – 3 starts, 11.0 IP, 4.91 ERA
· June – 5 starts, 27.2 IP, 2.28 ERA
· July – 4 starts, 21.0 IP, 4.71 ERA
· August – 5 starts, 28.2 IP, 1.88 ERA
· September – 6 games (5 starts), 24.1 IP, 4.44 ERA
I think that pretty much epitomizes hit and miss. Did not say he had a bad year. Did not say that the Dodgers won in spite of Kersh. All I said was that post shoulder surgery, Kersh was hit and miss. Dominant at times, and horrendous at other times.
He was not considered a starter for the playoffs, and pitched in two games (2.1 IP). He was whacked by the Phillies in his lone NLDS game. But did get the final out of the 12th inning in WS Game 3 on an 8 pitch AB with the bases loaded. Hit and miss.
There is not a bigger fan of Clayton Kershaw than I am. Too many players play beyond when they should retire. Kersh is not one of them. However, I am not going to say he was still a dominant and elite pitcher post shoulder surgery.
i don’t know. I’m a pretty big fan myself. You might have some competition there.
I agree. Kersh helped us get thru the middle of the season when everybody else was on their paid vacations.
Great final year from him.
O’s third baseman Jordan Westburg has a partial UCL tear. Elias Diaz signed to a minor league deal by the Royals.
Preseason games start today! Yankees and some others folks start up at 10am today.
I’ll have the games on the ipad as background , but i’ll be fun to see baseball again.
Agreed
I guess I’ll have to stop watching the WS replays! Really looking forward to seeing the young arms on display
A couple of recent Dodger responses:
Max Muncy on his extension:
“My family was my biggest thought when making this decision. My kids were born in L.A., all they know is the Dodgers. They love the Dodgers. They love the color Dodger blue. They love going to the stadium, and they know all the people there. I wasn’t about to uproot them from the only house that they’ve really known and move them to another city and just really uproot their lives because I was greedy for a little bit extra money, and that goes to the point where there’s no guarantee of how much money I could have gotten [in free agency]. I have more than enough money, so that wasn’t a deciding factor for me.
“I wanted a chance to win. I wanted to keep my family where they’re comfortable, and it’s the best team in baseball, best organization in baseball. Where else would I rather go? And when you start putting all that together, it’s the easiest decision you could possibly make.”
Freddie on playing every day:
“When that day comes or the night comes where they say, ‘We’re going to give you tomorrow off,’ I will fight that battle and most likely lose,” Freeman said. “But I want to play every game. You guys know that. As I’ve gotten older, I try not to think about that. But they are looking out for the best interests of me, and I do understand that. So if they want to give me (a day), I’ll just say yes.”
Nice. How could anyone not love Muncy. Maybe he will be our next Manny Mota.
As long as they don’t make you the GM because you’ll trade him before the ink is dry on your contract. 😂
Nope. I’m keeping him. I can see him coming off the bench late in the game in a key situation and getting that critical walk. He’s a Dodger. I accept that.
It’s going to be USA vs Canada in Mens Hockey. I can root for both teams.
Canada’s talent is so good. It’s gona be an awesome match.
Pablo Lopez to miss 2026 with TJ surgery. MLB and MLBPA stockpiling money ahead of CBA talks. Jays in discussions with Max Scherzer.
A couple of spring training notes. Yankees got shut out by the Orioles 2-0. Pete Alonso hit a 2-run homer is the sixth. Yanks had just 3 hits. Nick Castellanos made his Padre debut playing first base. Padres lost to Seattle 7-4. White Sox smoked the Cubs 8-1.
What is this win/loss thing for ST?