Dave Roberts Reveals Return Dates for 2 Key Dodgers on Paternity Leave

They could use all the reinforcements right now.

The Dodgers lost again on Thursday in an early game against the Pirates, and fell to 13-13 on the year. After scoring two runs in the 1st inning, the Dodger bats went silent, going 0-for-their-last-15 and 1-for-their-last-21. That's not good.

The Dodgers bullpen was solid on Thursday, but they struggled mightily on Wednesday, allowing eight earned runs en route to another blowout loss.

Fortunately for the Dodgers, though, both the lineup and bullpen are getting a huge boost on Friday.

Max Muncy and Brusdar Graterol, who both missed the entire Pittsburgh series on the paternity list, are going to be joining the Dodgers when they get back to Los Angeles for Friday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that when speaking to reporters on Wednesday.

#Dodgers Dave Roberts said both Max Muncy & Brusdar Graterol should be returning to the team and rejoining the roster from their paternity leave on Friday.

— Kirsten Watson (@kirsten_watson) April 26, 2023

Those returns can't come soon enough, as Muncy and Graterol were two of the Dodgers' hottest players before heading on paternity leave.

Muncy was coming off a week in which he won the National League Player of the Week Award, hitting five home runs and seven RBIs with an OPS of 1.815. Overall, Muncy has hit 10 home runs in his last 13 games, and as of Thursday afternoon, leads the MLB in home runs and OPS.

Graterol, on the other hand, was really getting going, pitching 6.2 straight scoreless innings before heading on the paternity list. Graterol's most recent outing came on Sunday, when he got a six-out save to close out the series win in Chicago. The Dodgers will be very happy to get him back, as the bullpen has struggled without him.

While the Dodgers have definitely struggled early this season, it is easy to blame the inconsistencies in the lineup. The Dodgers have had four players go on paternity leave, and have been without their star catcher Will Smith for over two weeks now with a concussion.

The good news is, come Friday, everyone will be back from paternity leave. And, come Saturday, the Dodgers are expecting to get Smith back. Then, the Dodgers will hopefully have some consistency on the roster for an extended period of time.