The Dodgers turned to Cole Irvin on July 31, 2026, selecting the left-hander to the big league roster after placing Brock Stewart on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder discomfort. It is a straightforward move on paper, but an important one in the context of a bullpen game and a pitching staff that has had to manage injuries carefully.
Dave Roberts said the decision to place Stewart on the injured list was out of caution and not expected to require a significant absence. Even so, the Dodgers were not willing to take a chance with a pitcher whose injury history already includes debridement surgery that ended his 2025 season.
Why Cole Irvin was the next man up
Irvin had been working as a starter at Triple-A Oklahoma City before the call-up, giving the Dodgers a ready-made option who could help bridge innings if the game turned into a long night for the bullpen. He was added at a time when the Dodgers needed immediate coverage, not a long explanation.
That is what makes this selection practical rather than dramatic. Irvin does not have to solve the entire pitching picture. He just has to give the Dodgers a left-handed arm they can trust while the roster resets around Stewart's absence.
What Stewart's absence means
Stewart's move to the injured list is noteworthy because the Dodgers have seen this story before. The shoulder discomfort is being treated as a short-term issue, but any mention of the shoulder naturally raises concern given what happened in 2025. For a team already planning a bullpen game, the priority becomes stability and not forcing a pitcher through discomfort.
On the same day, Chayce McDermott was designated for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot, underlining that the Dodgers had to make a clean roster move to get Irvin into the mix.
For now, the headline is simple: the Dodgers have added Cole Irvin to handle the immediate workload, and they are hoping Brock Stewart's absence really does stay on the cautious side of the ledger.
