The Los Angeles Dodgers feature no shortage of pitching depth. LA signed pitchers such as Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki during the offseason, and the team already featured plenty of quality hurlers. Still, injuries have been a problem at times for the Dodgers, and it was recently revealed that Michael Grove will not be ready for Opening Day, per Jack Harris of The Los Angeles Times.
“Michael Grove will not (be) ready for opening day, Dave Roberts said,” Harris wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Grove was about a month behind schedule in his throwing program this offseason after ending last season battling a shoulder injury.”
Grove has been a starting pitching candidate for the Dodgers in recent seasons. He features an intriguing ceiling, but Grove has dealt with injury trouble in his career. The 28-year-old has underperformed while on the mound as well.
Michael Grove’s big league career
Grove made his MLB debut with LA in 2022. He recorded seven appearances (six starts) and pitched to an underwhelming 4.60 ERA. The Dodgers still considered him a starting pitching candidate for the future.
In 2023, however, the right-handed hurler turned in a lackluster 6.13 ERA across 18 games (12 starts). Grove’s future in the rotation was becoming increasingly uncertain. Sure enough, he primarily pitched out of the bullpen in 2024, as 37 of his 39 appearances came in relief.
Grove struggled once again, pitching to a 5.12 ERA. And as Harris mentioned, he dealt with a shoulder injury toward the end of the 2024 campaign.
In 2025, Grove will likely work in a bullpen role as well. For now, it remains to be seen when he will return, though. If Grove fails to take a step forward once he returns to the mound, the Dodgers may consider moving on. Grove could end up being packaged in a trade or possibly even released.
Los Angeles has clearly not given up on Grove. He will need to prove something in 2025 upon his return, however.
Dodgers’ pitching outlook
Sasaki and Snell will help to lead the Dodgers’ 2025 starting rotation. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow will also pitch in the rotation. Shohei Ohtani will have a spot as well once he returns. LA will likely have a six-man rotation once Ohtani returns, so there will be a battle for the final spot on the pitching staff.
Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Emmet Sheehan and Tony Gonsolin are among the candidates to earn spots in the starting rotation. As mentioned, LA features no shortage of pitching depth.
As a result, Michael Grove is probably going to work in relief this season. There simply isn’t room in the rotation. It is a good problem to have for a team, but Grove may have to find a new team in order to start games once again.
Overall, the Dodgers have plenty of reason to remain confident from a pitching standpoint. Los Angeles is going to have a tremendous opportunity to repeat as World Series champions. Staying healthy will be of the utmost importance, though.
We will continue to monitor and provide updates on Grove’s injury status as they are made available.
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