Michael Grove’s 2025 season has been cut short, as the Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander underwent surgery on his throwing shoulder and will miss the entire campaign, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Grove’s last appearance in 2024 was in Game 2 of the NLDS, and he was subsequently removed from the Dodgers’ playoff roster due to the initial emergence of this shoulder issue.
Two weeks ago, manager Dave Roberts indicated that Grove was expected to begin the season on the injured list, as the recovery from his postseason shoulder problem had delayed his usual winter training. Now, the 28-year-old will be sidelined until 2026. This marks the second major surgery of Grove’s baseball career, following a Tommy John procedure in 2017 during his college years at West Virginia. Despite this, the Dodgers saw potential in him, selecting him in the second round of the 2018 draft. However, due to his injury rehab, the canceled 2020 minor league season, and initial struggles in professional baseball, Grove’s performance didn’t significantly improve until 2022.
Los Angeles Dodgers Underwent Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery
In 2022, Grove made his major league debut, pitching 29 1/3 innings with a 4.60 ERA, starting six of his seven games. In 2023, he started 12 of 18 MLB appearances, moving between Triple-A and the Dodgers as needed. Last season, he primarily served as a reliever, posting a 5.12 ERA over 51 innings.
While Grove’s career 5.48 ERA over 149 1/3 major league innings is not particularly impressive, his SIERA of 3.85 suggests a more favorable performance. With solid strikeout (23.2%) and walk (6.9%) rates, his underlying statistics indicate potential, though he has struggled with home runs. Injuries have also plagued Grove in recent seasons, including groin and lat issues, in addition to the shoulder injury that ended his 2024 postseason.
The Dodgers, who overcame numerous pitching injuries to win the World Series last season, are facing further health challenges in 2025. Projections indicate that ten pitchers will begin the season on the injured list, ranging from minor issues to season-ending problems, such as Grove’s surgery and the Tommy John surgeries of River Ryan and Kyle Hurt. This adds to the concerns surrounding pitchers with existing injury histories, including Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani.
The Dodgers’ depth in pitching is intended to provide coverage for potential injuries, which is why they have been aggressive in acquiring talent like Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, and Kirby Yates. While Grove might not be a high-profile player, his absence diminishes the team’s bullpen depth, creating a potential vulnerability.