Aug 4, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) relieves Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brock Stewart (41) in the ninth inning during an MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dodgers GM Explains Decision to Shut Down Pitcher for Season

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Aaron Coloma | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 6:30 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes elaborated on why the Dodgers shut down relief pitcher Brock Stewart for the rest of 2025.

Stewart landed on the injured list Aug. 12 with shoulder inflammation after just four appearances for the Dodgers following his arrival at the trade deadline.

“We had a lot of conversations with Brock and he’s like, ‘Hey, I want to help this team in any way possible,’” Gomes said. “But watching him throw and just having the conversations with him … something was just bothering him that we just felt like, we don’t want to – as much as we would love to have him right now we don’t want to put his long-term health at risk.

“So kind of going back and seeing Dr. ElAttrache, we felt like this was the best course of action. Our expectation is that he pitches the majority of next year.”

The Dodgers still have Stewart under team control through the 2027 season, so their decision to preserve his long-term health makes plenty of sense.

Through his four appearances for the Dodgers this season, Stewart pitched 3.2 innings and allowed two runs for a 4.91 ERA. He had a great season with the Minnesota Twins before coming back to LA, posting a 2.38 ERA through 39 appearances.

Stewart began his MLB career with the Dodgers, pitching for the team from 2016-19. The Toronto Blue Jays picked him up off waivers, and after 2019 he didn't pitch in MLB again until 2023.

While the Dodgers could definitely use Stewart during the postseason, they have also brought in a ton of reinforcements to their bullpen over the last few weeks.

Roki Sasaki made his return from a month-long rehab assignment and has looked great in his two relief appearances. Clayton Kershaw made his first relief appearance since 2019, and fellow starter Emmet Sheehan is also excpected to go into a relief role. The Dodgers also brought up southpaw Andrew Heaney ahead of the end of the season after claiming him off waivers at the beginning of the month.

The Dodgers will hope their new additions are enough to save their struggling bullpen, and that Stewart can recover well to be available for most of the 2026 season as planned. They'll look to defend their World Series title without him, and their road to becoming back-to-back champions begins Sept. 30 in the Wild Card round.