Graterol’s absence from L.A. bullpen expected to be brief

DODGERS NOTES

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The Dodgers’ Justin Turner scores on Hanser Alberto’s triple in the fifth inning Friday. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ

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By J.P. Hoornstra

jhoornstra@scng.com @jphoornstra on Twitter

ANAHEIM >> The Dodgers may have dodged a bullet in the bullpen.

Brusdar Graterol reported improvement in his right shoulder Friday, one day after he was placed on the injured list with inflammation. The team was still awaiting the results of an MRI, but manager Dave Roberts said he expects the right-hander’s time on the injured list to be brief.

“I don’t know if it will be right when he’s eligible to come off, but hopefully a couple weeks is all he needs,” Roberts said.

Graterol leads the team in appearances (37) and innings (40 1/3) while posting a 3.35 earned-run average. As a recent fill-in for closer Craig Kimbrel, the 23-year-old converted two save opportunities in his last three appearances. He hasn’t allowed a run in 14 of his last 15 games.

“Given where the injury is, the value that he adds to our ballclub, if we can err on the side of caution if it takes a few more days or a week longer, we’ll do that,” Roberts said.

Graterol’s absence Friday added to an already large void in the Dodgers bullpen.

Kimbrel and top set-up man Evan Phillips were both down, Roberts said, after both pitched Wednesday and Thursday night in St. Louis.

The Dodgers then erased almost any possibility of a save situation by taking an 8-0 lead in the sixth inning before the announced crowd of 44,648 at Angel Stadium.

Remembering Brito

Yasiel Puig and Julio Urías, two of the three major leaguers Mike Brito helped sign on a single visit to Mexico in 2012, expressed their love for the Dodgers scout who passed away last Thursday.

“I feel he is with me in heaven,” Urías, who starts for the Dodgers today, said in Spanish.

“He was a great person; a great human being,” Puig said. “He discovered Yasiel Puig and my talent. … I want to dedicate the games, the hits, and what I will do here in Korea, to the great scout Mike Brito. I love him, and someday we will see each other in heaven.”

Also

Roberts said he did not plan to make any of his starting pitchers available out of the bullpen during the Freeway Series despite the All-Star break looming. ... Chris Taylor (fractured bone in foot) was cleared to resume light baseball activities, but is still prohibited from running, Roberts said. ... Andrew Heaney is expected to make a minor league rehabilitation start today for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, Roberts said. Heaney, on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, threw to live hitters Tuesday in St. Louis. ... Dustin May, recovering from Tommy John surgery in Arizona, remains on track to begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment in the next week to 10 days.