All season, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been ravaged by pitching injuries. But could they be closer than expected to getting one of their injured stars back in the fold?
Heading into a hotly-contested stretch run in the National League West, the Dodgers are juggling an ever-changing starting rotation. Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto remain injured, while Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller have struggled to assert themselves in 2024.
It would be pivotal for the Dodgers to gain one more trustworthy arm by the postseason. And according to one Dodgers insider, there is one arm previously thought to be out of the picture who could return sooner than expected.
According to Doug Padilla of the Orange County Register, Dodgers All-Star starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin threw off the mound at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, and is eyeing a return to the starting rotation before the end of the season.
“I think there is definitely enough time to come back as a starter,” Gonsolin said, per Padilla. “We’ll see where we’re at. The main thing is just feeling healthy.”
It would be a remarkably fast return for Gonsolin, 30, who underwent Tommy John surgery on Sept. 1 of last year. He has yet to face live hitters, though that is reportedly coming soon, and said he would know more by the start of September how feasible a 2024 return would be.
Though he struggled while pitching through elbow pain in 2023, Gonsolin was sensational in 2022. He pitched to a 16-1 record, the best winning percentage of any pitcher in MLB, with a microscopic 2.14 ERA in 24 starts.
Though the Dodgers hope to have ample options in their rotation by postseason time, a veteran with a proven track record like Gonsolin would be valuable to add in any capacity, whether as a starter or coming out of the bullpen. It's something to keep a close eye on in the coming weeks.
More MLB: Cubs could sign former Gold Glove outfielder surprisingly let go by rival
