Brock Stewart will undergo Tommy John surgery next week, ending his 2021 season before it could get going. Stewart is the second Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher to recently be scheduled for the operation, joining Dustin May after he was injured last week.
Like with May, the timing of the surgery presumably will lead to Stewart missing multiple months of next season as well due to the rehab and recovery process.
Stewart was among several pitchers the Dodgers signed to a Minor League contract during the offseason. He returned to the organization after being claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays in July 2019.
Stewart then spent 2020 Spring Training with the Chicago Cubs but was released in May of that year. Although the right-hander reunited with the Dodgers during the offseason, he was not among the club’s non-roster invitees to Spring Training this year.
— Brock Stewart (@Brock_A_Stewart) May 7, 2021
Had he remained healthy, Stewart figured to spend the bulk of this season with Triple-A Oklahoma City. But given how the Major League staff has needed to tap into the organization’s depth, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see Stewart up with the Dodgers at some point.
L.A. selected Stewart in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB Draft, and he made his debut two years later. In 36 career games (11 starts) for the Dodgers thus far, Stewart is 2-3 with one save, a 5.46 ERA, 5.71 FIP and 1.61 WHIP.
The bulk of those appearances came in 2017, when he pitched to a 3.41 ERA in 17 games (four starts).
Dodgers welcome back Kelly
While injuries have put a strain on the Dodgers’ pitching depth so far this year, the team did welcome Joe Kelly back from the 10-day injured list. Kelly didn’t pitch during the spring and had been inactive since Opening Day due to his slow ramp-up process after offseason shoulder surgery.
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