Dodgers' Brusdar Graterol strains hamstring in season debut

LOS ANGELES -- Brusdar Graterol had spent all season recovering from a shoulder injury -- only to exit eight pitches into his return Tuesday night.

Graterol, one of the Dodgers' most important relievers, grabbed at his right leg immediately after throwing a pitch to Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto in the sixth inning of Los Angeles' 6-2 loss.

After getting checked on near the pitcher's mound, he was helped off the field by teammate Enrique Hernandez and head athletic trainer Thomas Albert. Graterol was clearly emotional as he made his way to the third-base dugout.

The Dodgers subsequently diagnosed him with a strained right hamstring. According to manager Dave Roberts, it is believed to be a Grade 3 strain.

"That's a long road back for him," Roberts said.

Graterol, 25, has been a crucial high-leverage reliever in recent years, posting a 2.08 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in 114 appearances from 2022 to 2023. But Graterol suffered a shoulder injury early in spring training and a setback as he was nearing his return in April. He wasn't activated off the injured list until Monday.

The Dodgers' bullpen is currently without Blake Treinen (hip), Ryan Brasier (calf) and Michael Grove (lat). Heading into Tuesday, their bullpen had posted a 4.35 ERA since the All-Star break.