Dodgers right-hander Tony Gonsolin received’t be prepared for the start of the season as a consequence of his present ankle harm, supervisor Dave Roberts introduced Friday (Twitter hyperlink through Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Instances). He’s anticipated to open the season on the 15-day injured record. Righties Ryan Pepiot and Michael Grove are the favorites to interrupt camp because the fifth starter with Gonsolin on the IL.
The Dodgers are hoping for a comparatively minimal absence for the 28-year-old Gonsolin, who improbably injured his ankle strolling off the sector following pitchers fielding observe earlier in camp. He’s solely only recently resumed a throwing program, and there’s merely not sufficient time for him to get constructed again up sufficient to interrupt camp within the rotation 13 days from now.
Gonsolin began a career-high 24 video games throughout the 2022 common season, pitching to a sensational 2.14 ERA with a top quality 23.9% strikeout charge in opposition to a powerful 7.0% stroll charge over the lifetime of 130 1/3 innings. He undoubtedly benefited from a .207 batting common on balls in play that he received’t maintain over a bigger pattern, however even with some anticipated regression he’s nonetheless a effectively above-average huge league pitcher. The 132 1/3 innings he pitched between Triple-A and the majors final 12 months had been the very best complete he’s reached in any professional season since being drafted in 2016, nevertheless, so there are some sturdiness considerations with the gifted righty.
Each Pepiot and Grove are well-regarded prospects, although the previous has drawn extra nationwide fanfare than the latter. Pepiot, 25, ranked amongst Baseball America’s top-100 prospects each final offseason (No. 99) and this offseason (No. 55). He pitched to a 3.47 ERA in his first MLB cup of espresso final season and a 2.56 mark in Triple-A, combining for a complete of 127 2/3 innings. Pepiot’s command has by no means been his robust level however was significantly troubling in his transient debut final 12 months, when he walked 27 of 160 batters (16.9%). He’ll clearly want to enhance upon that mark to have success over the long term.
As for the 26-year-old Grove, he additionally made his huge league debut in 2022, tossing 29 1/3 innings of 4.60 ERA ball. Grove’s 18% strikeout charge was effectively under common, however he recorded a stable 7.5% stroll charge in his first huge league audition. He additionally logged a 3.79 ERA in 76 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, displaying robust strikeout and stroll charges alongside the best way as he rose to the Majors.
Both Pepiot or Grove appears able to filling what’s prone to be a short-term absence for Gonsolin behind a projected high 4 of Julio Urias, Clayton Kershaw, Noah Syndergaard and Dustin Could. There’s loads of harm concern amid that group, and Could’s workload will seemingly be monitored in his first full season again from Tommy John surgical procedure, so it stands to cause that Pepiot and Grove may each be known as upon a number of occasions over the course of the season. Additional down the depth chart, high prospects Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone are joined by veterans Robbie Erlin and Dylan Covey. None are on the 40-man roster, however each Miller and Stone are top-100 prospects themselves and seen as potential long-term choices within the Los Angeles rotation.
