LA Dodgers
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13 hours agoDodgers taking cautious approach with Edwin Diaz
Edwin Díaz's first save was blown, raising concerns about his decreased velocity and health status.
Travel fatigue refers to the cumulative physical and mental drain that comes from crossing time zones, sleeping in unfamiliar environments, and competing on compressed schedules. It is not just about being tired from a long flight.
In 2017, starters averaged five and a half innings per start. Now, there's no such thing as half an inning, but that's the beauty of math. That number dipped slightly in 2018, to 5.4 innings per start. Even ignoring 2020, where teams felt more comfortable and/or harried into just getting through the 60-game season, the innings-per-start value bottomed out at exactly five in 2021.
Graterol struggled with his shoulder in 2024, landing on the injured list during spring training due to a shoulder injury. He returned to the team in September, but went straight back to the injured list, spending the majority of the Dodgers' World Series run on the sidelines. The 27-year-old returned for the World Series, though, and made three appearances. He underwent surgery shortly after the season, and missed the entirety of the 2025 season with his injury.