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The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed reliever Kirby Yates on the injured list with lower back pain, the team announced Friday.
More news: Dodgers Lineup vs Rays: Alex Freeland Starting, New Additions Join Team in First Game After Trade Deadline
The injury saga continues for LA as this is Yates’ second stint on the IL. The right-hander was previously sidelined by a hamstring strain earlier this season.
Additionally, the Dodgers added right-handed pitchers Paul Gervase and Brock Stewart as well as outfielder Alex Call to the active roster. The Dodgers acquired all three players ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.
The Dodgers acquired Yates in the offseason as the veteran was one of many pitching reinforcements the defending champions inked a deal with. The right-hander signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers’ aggressive pursuits last winter were, in part, due to the myriad injuries to the pitching staff last season. In 2025, it appears the injury problem has not come to an end.
The trade deadline for president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman typically featured a blockbuster signing; however, this summer was particularly quiet for the defending champions. This should come as no surprise given Friedman was insistent that the Dodgers did not want to buy in July given their spectacular offseason.
Nevertheless, the Dodgers find themselves short-handed in the bullpen once again. While LA traded for right-handed reliever Brock Stewart, it remains to be seen whether that acquisition was enough to keep the Dodgers bullpen afloat down the stretch.
Yates going on the IL again certainly doesn’t help the Dodgers’ cause. Yates is sporting a 4.31 ERA this season with 44 strikeouts across 31.1 innings of work.
The Dodgers bullpen has a collective 4.24 ERA and is without some its best relievers in Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech, and Brusdar Graterol. Two of the Dodgers’ biggest offseason signings in Yates and Tanner Scott are also on the IL.
And so, the question remains: Did the Dodgers do enough at the deadline in order to cement a championship roster?
More news: Dodgers Make Major Roster Move Ahead of Friday’s Series Opener vs Rays
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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