Dodgers Pitching Staff Ravaged by Injuries to Start Season

As the 2024 MLB season dawns, the Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves already grappling with a depleted pitching staff due to a spate of injuries. In a move that didn’t catch many by surprise, the team placed four pitchers on the 10-day injured list: Walker Buehler, Emmet Sheehan, Brusdar Graterol, and Blake Treinen.

The decision to start Buehler on the IL was announced early in Spring Training, as the Dodgers look to exercise caution with their ace after he missed the entire 2023 campaign while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. While the extended absence is undoubtedly a setback for the right-hander and the team, the cautious approach could pay dividends in the long run, ensuring Buehler’s return to full strength without rushing his rehab.

Sheehan’s inclusion on the IL raised some eyebrows initially, as the Dodgers had previously cited shoulder discomfort as the rookie’s ailment. However, reports from The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya suggest that Sheehan is dealing with forearm inflammation, which is not a new injury, and he has been throwing to hitters in preparation for his eventual debut.

The hard-throwing Graterol and the veteran Treinen also found themselves on the shelf due to various ailments sustained during Spring Training. Graterol has been hampered by hip tightness and inflammation in his throwing shoulder, while Treinen suffered a bruised lung after being struck by a comebacker on March 9th.

While the Dodgers’ pitching depth will undoubtedly be tested early on, the team’s cautious approach with these injuries appears prudent, as they look to avoid exacerbating any issues that could potentially derail their season.

Amidst the injury woes, one silver lining emerges in the form of Landon Knack, a 26-year-old right-hander who could make his major league debut in the season-opening bullpen. Knack, a former second-round pick out of East Tennessee State, has impressed in the minors, posting a 2.51 ERA across 22 starts between the top two levels last season.

However, the most highly anticipated debut for the Dodgers faithful will come on Thursday, when Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound against Joe Musgrove and the San Diego Padres. Yamamoto’s arrival in Los Angeles has been met with considerable fanfare, as the team looks to bolster its rotation with the highly touted right-hander.

As the Dodgers embark on their Seoul Series against the Padres, with Yu Darvish and Tyler Glasnow set to duel in the opener on Wednesday, the team’s depth and resilience will be put to the test early on. While the injuries to key pitchers are undoubtedly a setback, the Dodgers’ ability to weather such storms has become a hallmark of their recent success, and fans will be eagerly awaiting the return of their fallen stars to bolster an already formidable pitching staff.