Brock Stewart is ramping up his recovery from a lingering foot injury, poised to bolster a Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen that already boasts the best ERA in baseball.
Back on May 9, the Los Angeles Dodgers placed veteran reliever Brock Stewart on the injured list. The righty was stuck dealing with a bone spur in his left foot, one that originally was given a three week estimate, given the 15-day injured list assignment.
Stewart has thrown in just two games this year, May 6 and 8, respectively. He looked great in both outings, one that included getting a hold against the Atlanta Braves on the eighth.
Injuries affect teams across the league, but time and time again the Dodgers are able to get everyone healthy at the same time which helps get them as deep into the postseason as they tend to do.
Here on June 6, Dodgers Nation reported Stewart was getting some throwing work in. Granted, he faced live hitters roughly a week ago, the discomfort was still there. Bill Plunkett also confirmed he was facing hitters in live BP today.
Dodgers Anticipate Stewart's Return
With a commanding 7.5-game lead in the National League West Division, it's not like the Dodgers are banking on Stewart's return to improve on their already stellar 41-23 record. They've found plenty of ways to win without him, but there's nothing quite like having a trusty, 34-year-old veteran on the roster.
Dodgers fans remember Stewart's time with the team from 2016-19, a stint that turned into him playing for two other teams before returning to LA in 2025.
Keep in mind, Stewart, even though he's been with the team for nearly a full year again, has only made six relief appearances.
Los Angeles gave up James Outman to acquire someone they know quite well, but Dodgers fans would certainly love to see Stewart try to return to form, even though arguably his best season, 2017, is well behind him.
Dodgers Bullpen Has Been Rock Solid
According to Inside the Pen, the Dodgers lead the league with a 2.92 bullpen ERA. For reference, they've done so in 194.0 innings pitched. The second place team, the Seattle Mariners, have a 3.04 bullpen ERA in 195.2 innings pitched.
Keep in mind, the Milwaukee Brewers, who are tied for fourth place, have thrown 293.1 bullpen innings. Only the Pittsburgh Pirates (293.2) have used their bullpen more.
Getting Stewart back may not seem like a monumental addition to some, but to the Dodgers, it's yet another piece of the puzzle. Truthfully, they haven't even seen what he's fully capable of since the Outman trade, so it's better to have him log innings at this point in the season rather than throwing for the first time deep into the postseason.
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