But on Friday, their worst-case scenario was realized.<\/p>\n
His season has come to a premature end.<\/p>\n
Though the Dodgers\u2019 bullpen held on for a 3-2 win<\/a> against the Seattle Mariners, manager Dave Roberts<\/a> announced before the game that Stewart will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, leaving the team without the only significant deadline addition it made to bolster their struggling relief corps.<\/p>\n Although the Dodgers (91-69) have been managing several injury concerns \u2014 from Will Smith<\/a>\u2019s fractured hand, to Tommy Edman<\/a>\u2019s sore ankle, to leg bruises that Max Muncy<\/a> revealed on Friday he has been dealing with \u2014 Stewart\u2019s status had become among the most alarming.<\/p>\n Even after completing a minor-league rehab stint for a shoulder problem that had kept him out since early August, he continued to feel residual soreness.<\/p>\n After meeting with head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache<\/a> this week, Stewart and the team decided surgery was necessary. According to general manager Brandon Gomes, the 33-year-old is having a debridement procedure that should allow him to pitch the \u201cmajority\u201d of next season, when he will still be under Dodgers control.<\/p>\n But for this October, the club will have to proceed without him.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a lot of conversations with Brock, and he was like, \u2018Hey, I want to help this team in any way possible,\u2019\u201d Gomes said. \u201cBut watching him throw and just having the conversations with him, there was still something that was just bothering him. As much as we would love to have him right now, we don\u2019t want to put his long-term health at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n Without Stewart, the Dodgers\u2019 right-handed relief hierarchy is somewhat unclear.<\/p>\n They still have longtime stalwart Blake Treinen<\/a>, but his already career-worst ERA rose to 5.61 after giving up a run in the eighth inning Friday night. Hard-throwing rookie Edgardo Henriquez<\/a> has a 2.50 ERA in 21 appearances but has just 21\u2153 career innings in the big leagues.<\/p>\n There is Roki Sasaki<\/a>, the rookie Japanese phenom who returned from a shoulder injury earlier this week, and tossed his second scoreless inning of high-leverage relief Friday.<\/p>\n After giving up a two-out double in the seventh to Randy Arozarena on a 100 mph fastball that clanged off the top of the wall, Sasaki responded by fanning MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh<\/a> with three straight splitters, quieting a sold-out crowd at T-Mobile Park that was chanting \u201cMVP!\u201d for the star catcher.<\/p>\n \u201cI actually liked him giving up the hit to Arozarena, to see how he responded,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cHe responded admirably. Unfazed by the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Another name that will enter the mix: Starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan<\/a>, who was removed after just one inning Friday to prepare for his planned October move to the bullpen, where Roberts said he likely will pitch in single-inning, high-leverage situations.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the playoffs, anything is on the table,\u201d Sheehan said. \u201cSo I\u2019m cool with whatever.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758962951_359_hqdefault.jpg\")
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