The Dodgers bullpen has been largely good this season, but finding help there is always something contending teams will prioritize at the trade deadline. For Los Angeles, a couple of hard-throwing relievers are on the comeback trail from IL and could provide bullpen help without LA making a trade.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts on Tuesday told reporters right-hander Joe Kelly is set for a rehab assignment with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. Kelly is working through a shoulder strain in his throwing arm that landed him on the IL in early May.
Reliever Brusdar Graterol is also making progress in his return from a troublesome shoulder injury he sustained in Spring Training. He's at the team's Spring Training facility in Arizona and preparing to throw to live batters per Roberts.
Adding Kelly and Graterol at some point near or after the trade deadline would be a nice boost for a Dodgers bullpen that has found its way without them. Both of the hard-throwing righties would be particularly impactful in October where they'd give Roberts a ton of flexibility with how he manages his pitching staff during games.
LA may still want to find bullpen help at the deadline, but with those two relievers working back from the IL it may better serve the Dodgers to set their sites on a starting pitcher or an outfielder.
