Michael Grove

Michael Alexander Grove (born December 18, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted by the Dodgers in the second round of the 2018 MLB draft out of West Virginia University and he made his MLB debut in 2022.

Michael Grove
Grove with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 29
Pitcher
Born: (1996-12-18) December 18, 1996 (age 28) Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S.
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 15, 2022, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics (through 2024 season)
Win–loss record	7–7
Earned run average	5.48
Strikeouts	151
Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (2022–2024)

Amateur career

Grove played hockey, baseball and football at Wheeling Park High School in West Virginia.^[1] He then played college baseball at West Virginia University. As a sophomore in 2017, he had a 2.87 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 47 innings before his season ended because of an arm injury. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2017.^[2]

Professional career

Despite the injury he was picked in the second round of the 2018 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, though he did not play in a professional game until 2019 when he made 21 starts for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.^[1][3] The 2020 season minor league season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Grove was added to the player pool and trained at the alternate site at the University of Southern California.^[4] He played in 21 games for the Tulsa Drillers in 2021, where he was 1–4 with a 7.86 ERA in 21 games (19 starts).^[3]

On November 19, 2021, the Dodgers added Grove to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.^[5] After beginning the 2022 season with Tulsa, Grove was promoted to the major leagues to make his debut as the starting pitcher against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 15, 2022.^[6] He pitched 3+2⁄3 innings in his debut, allowing four hits while walking three and striking out three. Four unearned runs scored off him and his first MLB strikeout was of Alec Bohm.^[7] On September 25, Grove picked up his first major league win against the St. Louis Cardinals.^[8] He made seven appearances in the majors, making six starts with one relief appearance. He allowed 15 earned runs in 29+1⁄3 innings for a 4.60 ERA.^[9] He also pitched in 19 games (17 starts) in the minors between Tulsa and the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, with a 1–5 record and 3.79 ERA.^[3]

In 2023, he pitched in 18 games in the majors, with 12 starts, and a 2–3 record with 6.13 ERA and 73 strikeouts.^[9] In 2024, Grove became a full-time relief pitcher, making 39 appearances in the majors with a 4–4 record, 55 strikeouts, and a 5.12 ERA^[9] He also pitched 10 games for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Baseball Club, posting a 2–0 record and 1.59 ERA with 11 strikeouts across 11+1⁄3 innings pitched.^[3] Grove pitched in one game in the NLDS, recording one strikeout and allowing a home run.^[10] He suffered a shoulder injury in that game and was removed from the postseason roster.^[11]

Grove underwent right shoulder labrum surgery during spring training before the 2025 season, and it was announced that he would miss the entire season while recovering.^[12]