Tony Gonsolin done for the year but Dodgers eyeing other potential returns
BOSTON – The Dodgers have their eyes on a number of pitchers working their way back from injuries in hopes of contributing down the stretch and in the postseason.
Tony Gonsolin won’t be one of them. Dodgers manager Dave Rberts said right-hander Tony Gonsolin has had an MRI on his injured elbow. Roberts was unable to share “the exact diagnosis or plan.” But he did say that Gonsolin would definitely not be back this season and could “potentially” have surgery that would impact his availability in 2024.
After his last start on August 18, Gonsolin acknowledged that he had been pitching with elbow discomfort for some time. An All-Star in 2022, Gonsolin started this season on the Injured List after spraining his ankle in spring training. He went 8-5 with a 4.98 ERA in 20 starts this year.
Meanwhile, veteran reliever Blake Treinen made his second appearance (first with Triple-A Oklahoma City) on a minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment Saturday. Treinen (who had shoulder surgery in November) hit the first batter he faced then retired the side.
Joe Kelly, meanwhile, is still experiencing elbow pain after throwing a bullpen session recently. Roberts said Kelly will not join the Dodgers during their upcoming homestand but is still expected to return in time for the postseason.
“Is there a chance he’s not gonna be 100 percent? Yes,” Roberts said. “But is there a chance he’s not gonna come back? No.”
Yency Almonte is also on the Injured List with a knee injury. Roberts said he is still “two, three weeks away” from returning.
Right-hander Walker Buehler has continued to throw to hitters in Arizona, extending the workouts to simulate innings break. He has not started a rehab assignment yet but Roberts said he believes it is “still realistic” for Buehler to meet his self-imposed target of being on a mound facing hitters in actual games in September.
“For me, it’s the middle of September, that’s still what we’re planning on,” Roberts said of Buehler’s return to the majors.
“I’ve seen him in a couple simulateds. Stuff is good. Command, as we would expect, hasn’t been good. So that’s something that obviously he has to work through. He knows it. But the main thing is he’s healthy. The ball is coming out. But the command hasn’t been good.”
The Dodgers will have decisions to make with any of those pitchers who make it back before the end of the season, choosing which to include on a postseason roster.
“There’s a lot of moving pieces,” Roberts acknowledged. “For us, there’s so much uncertainty. So to keep guys moving forward, to potentially have guys that can backfill is everything. I do feel like, there’s a handful of options that are gonna hopefully be harder decisions to make. But if something does happen as far as injury, then we have some coverage too.”
Ideally, Roberts said it would be good to see any of those pitchers for “a couple weeks” before deciding on a postseason role.
Mookie magic
Ronald Acuna Jr. has been the MVP frontrunner for most of the season. Recently, though, teammate Matt Olson as well as Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman have become threats to take the award away from Acuna – and now Mookie Betts is making a run at his second MVP.
“Ronald obviously has had a lot of momentum from the beginning,” Roberts said. “I don’t have a vote. But I just think that it’s a 162(-game award). I hope it just is all taken in once the season ends as opposed to the early momentum.
“Ronald’s had a heck of a year. But I think that Mookie is right there with him. You can make a case for Matt Olson. You can make a case for Freddie. For me, it’s good for baseball to have superstars (who are) really good young men of character.”
Betts won the award in the American League in 2018 and would join Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the only player to win the MVP award in both leagues. Robinson won it in the National League with the Cincinnati Reds in 1961 and in the American League with the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.
“Obviously, I wasn’t with him (Betts in 2018). I think he’s having a better year,” Roberts said. “I don’t know all the internal numbers and all that stuff, but clearly with the slug, the runs batted in, the versatility on the defense, I’d love to see those numbers side by side. … He’s one of the best players in the game. That’s just clear.”
Betts’ slash line in 2018 was .346/.438/.640. He led the league in batting and slugging percentage. Entering Sunday’s game, Betts’ slash line was .312/.406/.605.
Roster moves
The Dodgers recalled right-hander Gavin Stone from Triple-A and sent left-hander Bryan Hudson back to Oklahoma City. Gonsolin was moved to the 60-day Injured List and the Dodgers claimed right-hander Tyson Miller on waivers from the New York Mets. Miller was acquired by the Dodgers from the Milwaukee Brewers from the Milwaukee Brewers in July then waived in August and claimed by the Mets.
Up next
Diamondbacks (TBD) at Dodgers (RHP Bobby Miller, 7-3, 3.86 ERA), Monday, 7:10 p.m. SportsNet LA, MLB Network, 570 AM