The Los Angeles Dodgers face another setback in their already struggling bullpen situation. Brock Stewart, the reliever they acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline, has landed on the 15-day Injured List with shoulder inflammation after just four appearances with the team.
Stewart represents the Dodgers’ lone significant bullpen addition at the deadline, making his injury particularly frustrating for a franchise hoping he could provide much-needed depth. This marks his second stint with Los Angeles, and unfortunately, his injury history continues to follow him.
How Will the Dodgers Address Their Bullpen Crisis?
When asked by Dodgers beat writer Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic if he had any regrets about not being more aggressive at the deadline, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman remained philosophical. “We don’t live like that,” Friedman said.
Brock Stewart, the Dodgers’ lone certifiable bullpen addition at the deadline, hit the IL after just four appearances. The bullpen is already in flux as it is.
Does Andrew Friedman have regrets of not doing more? “We don’t live like that,” he said. https://t.co/Ck7BZoldqn
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 13, 2025
Friedman defended the organization’s deadline approach, explaining their decision-making process. “There’s deals that we thought made sense for us we pursued hard,” Friedman said. “It’s not like we had the potential to do a deal where we were like, ‘No’ and now we wish we would have. It’s always that balance. Lining up on a trade is hard. We feel good about the work we put in and the group that we have.”
The numbers paint a concerning picture for Los Angeles. Entering Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels, the Dodgers’ bullpen had thrown the most innings in MLB this season and ranked 21st in bullpen ERA at 4.23, according to The Athletic.
Why Does Brock Stewart’s Injury History Make This Situation Worse?
Stewart’s latest setback comes as no surprise given his extensive injury background. His medical history includes Tommy John surgery in 2021 and shoulder surgery in 2024, making him a risky acquisition from the start.
However, Friedman acknowledged the calculated gamble they took with Stewart. “There’s risk in basically everything we do, to varying degrees,” Friedman said. “So from our standpoint, we felt like the upside, and hopefully we still have the chance to realize that, far outweighed the risk.”
The injury situation has reached critical levels for the Dodgers. With Stewart joining the list, they now have 12 pitchers on the IL. The silver lining for manager Dave Roberts is that seven of those injured players might return at some point this season. Meanwhile, there has been some chatter that the Dodgers might have underpaid to acquire Stewart from Minnesota.
Despite his injury troubles, Stewart has performed well when healthy. He carries a 2-2 record this season between the Twins and Dodgers with a 2.63 ERA. He has struck out 44 batters, walked 13, and maintained a WHIP of 1.19 across 37.2 innings, though he hasn’t recorded a save.
Looking at his career numbers, Stewart has compiled a 10-5 record with a 4.48 ERA and 190 strikeouts across seven seasons with the Dodgers, Twins, and Toronto Blue Jays.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Los Angeles. Entering play on Thursday, August 14, the Dodgers have lost four straight games and posted a 4-6 record in their last 10 contests. This recent slide has dropped them one game behind the San Diego Padres in the National League West Division.
Stewart’s absence only compounds the bullpen problems that have plagued the team all season. Roberts will need to embrace a “next-man-up” mentality as he navigates the next few days with his depleted relief corps.
