Dodgers Already Have 12 Pitchers on Injured List, Including Multiple All-Stars

The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the 2025 MLB season with sky-high expectations. Flush with talent, marquee acquisitions, and championship aspirations, the club was built to dominate the National League from Opening Day through October. But barely a week into the season, the Dodgers find themselves grappling with a crisis that no amount of offseason spending could prevent—a full-blown injury epidemic, particularly on the pitching staff.

Twelve pitchers. One injured list. And counting.

That’s not just a logistical headache for manager Dave Roberts and the front office—it’s an organizational earthquake. The Dodgers, known for their depth and development pipeline, are now being tested in ways few contenders ever are. With multiple All-Star arms sidelined and rotation questions mounting, Los Angeles is fighting a battle on two fronts: winning games now while simply trying to stay afloat until reinforcements arrive.

A Rotation in Ruins

Perhaps the most shocking element of the Dodgers’ injury woes is that it hasn’t just impacted the bullpen or fringe contributors—it’s gutted the core of their rotation.

Clayton Kershaw, the future Hall of Famer and three-time Cy Young winner, remains out following offseason shoulder surgery. While his recovery was always going to keep him sidelined for at least the first half of 2025, his absence is compounded now by the growing list of injured starters around him.

Walker Buehler, expected to be a pillar of the rotation after missing all of 2024, has yet to return to full strength. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022, Buehler’s rehab was slower than anticipated, and recurring discomfort during spring training delayed his timeline yet again. Though there is still hope he’ll contribute this season, it’s clear the Dodgers can’t count on him in the short term.

Then there’s Bobby Miller—arguably the team’s most exciting young starter—who hit the IL just days into the season with shoulder inflammation. Miller dazzled in 2024 with a 3.42 ERA and electric stuff, but the Dodgers are understandably being cautious given the long-term value of his right arm.

The absence of those three alone would cripple many rotations. For the Dodgers, it’s only the beginning.

A Bullpen Decimated

The injury list doesn’t stop with the rotation. The Dodgers’ bullpen, long considered one of the strongest in baseball, has been equally devastated.

All-Star reliever Brusdar Graterol is out with shoulder tightness that’s lingered since early March. Known for his triple-digit fastball and late-inning poise, Graterol’s absence has created a ripple effect in how the bullpen is deployed. Evan Phillips, the team’s nominal closer, is also sidelined with a lat strain.

Veteran setup men Joe Kelly and Ryan Brasier have also joined the walking wounded. Kelly, an emotional leader with championship experience, strained his groin in an early-season outing. Brasier, who was a key cog in the Dodgers’ bullpen revival last year, landed on the IL with elbow discomfort that may require imaging.

Adding to the chaos, promising left-hander Caleb Ferguson is dealing with a forearm strain, and Alex Vesia—once considered a lockdown lefty specialist—has battled command issues that turned out to be connected to an oblique injury.

All told, the Dodgers are down more than half of their projected bullpen, forcing Roberts to rely heavily on unproven arms and minor league call-ups in high-leverage situations.

A Who’s Who of the Injured

Here’s a breakdown of the dozen pitchers currently on the injured list as of April 7, 2025:

1. Clayton Kershaw – Recovering from shoulder surgery (60-day IL)
2. Walker Buehler – Rehab setback from Tommy John recovery (15-day IL)
3. Bobby Miller – Shoulder inflammation (15-day IL)
4. Brusdar Graterol – Shoulder tightness (15-day IL)
5. Evan Phillips – Lat strain (15-day IL)
6. Joe Kelly – Groin strain (15-day IL)
7. Ryan Brasier – Elbow discomfort (15-day IL)
8. Caleb Ferguson – Forearm strain (15-day IL)
9. Alex Vesia – Oblique strain (15-day IL)
10. Emmet Sheehan – Forearm inflammation (60-day IL)
11. Tony Gonsolin – Recovering from Tommy John surgery (60-day IL)
12. Dustin May – Rehab from flexor tendon surgery (60-day IL)

It’s not just the quantity that’s troubling—it’s the quality. This list includes five pitchers who have started postseason games for the Dodgers and three former All-Stars. Some of them—like Gonsolin and May—may not pitch at all this year.

A Domino Effect on Strategy

The ramifications of this injury cluster are being felt everywhere. The Dodgers, who built their pitching staff to be flexible and deep, now find themselves scraping together starts on a week-by-week basis.

Veteran free-agent acquisition Tyler Glasnow has become the unexpected ace by default. Glasnow, when healthy, possesses top-tier stuff, but his career has been marred by injuries of his own. Now, he’s being leaned on for consistency and leadership in a rotation full of question marks.

Rookie Gavin Stone, whose 2024 season was rocky at best, has been thrust into a full-time role despite limited MLB success. Michael Grove and Ryan Yarbrough—originally expected to provide long relief or spot starts—are now locked into rotation spots.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have dipped heavily into their Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City, calling up arms like Landon Knack and River Ryan, who were not expected to see major league action this early. While talented, these pitchers are still raw and learning on the job—often against elite lineups.

Clubhouse Response: Resilience Over Panic

Despite the dire circumstances, the mood in the Dodgers’ clubhouse is far from defeated. If anything, the tone has shifted toward opportunity.

“Nobody feels sorry for us,” said manager Dave Roberts after the team’s third bullpen game in a week. “We’ve got a group that still believes we can win every day, and that’s the standard here.”

Veteran Mookie Betts echoed those sentiments. “We’ve dealt with adversity before. You can’t control injuries, but you can control how you respond. We’ve got guys stepping up.”

Indeed, it’s a testament to the Dodgers’ system that even with a dozen pitchers on the IL, the team remains competitive in the early weeks of the season. The offense, led by Betts, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, and Will Smith, has shouldered the load, helping the team stay afloat in the standings.

Front Office Under Pressure

President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and GM Brandon Gomes now face a dilemma. Do they stay patient, trusting in internal depth and gradual returns? Or do they act aggressively on the trade market to plug the holes before the season slips away?

The Dodgers have never shied away from bold moves. If the injury bug persists into May, it’s likely they’ll explore acquiring a starting pitcher or late-inning reliever—though the market for quality arms this early in the season is notoriously thin.

One name frequently mentioned is Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease, should the Sox decide to sell early. Another possibility is reuniting with Julio Urías, who remains unsigned but may come with off-field baggage. For now, the Dodgers are holding firm, hoping for positive medical updates and short IL stints.

What Comes Next?

The immediate goal for the Dodgers is survival. If they can tread water over the next month and stay within striking distance of the division lead, reinforcements may slowly begin to return.

Buehler is targeting a late-April or early-May return, though that depends on how his latest throwing session progresses. Miller’s shoulder inflammation is considered minor, but he’ll be re-evaluated weekly. Phillips and Graterol are both expected back before May if rehab goes as planned.

Meanwhile, Sheehan and Kershaw remain long-term projects, with All-Star break returns being the most optimistic projections. May, Gonsolin, and Ferguson likely won’t be back until the final months of the season—if at all.

A Season on the Brink, But Not Broken

In a sport that often tests its contenders with waves of attrition, the Dodgers are facing a tsunami. Yet, there’s something uniquely galvanizing about crisis. It forces innovation, toughness, and camaraderie. If the Dodgers can emerge from this early-season slog intact, they may be battle-hardened in a way that few teams can match.

The pitching injuries are real. The challenges are steep. But if there’s one team that has the infrastructure, star power, and organizational depth to navigate it—it’s the Los Angeles Dodgers.

For now, Dodger Stadium echoes with the rallying cry of “next man up.” Whether that’s enough to sustain a championship pursuit in 2025 remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: This team won’t go quietly.