Tony Gonsolin is getting nearer to creating his season debut. Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts informed reporters Gonsolin received by means of a 30-plus pitch bullpen session at present (relayed by Juan Toribio of MLB.com). Gonsolin will start a rehab stint with Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis on Thursday, with the expectation he’ll throw round 4 innings.
Gonsolin is rehabbing from an ankle sprain he suffered halfway by means of Spring Coaching. Roberts indicated he’d want a minimum of two rehab begins earlier than he’s prepared to move again to the MLB rotation. That would place him for a return in the direction of the tail finish of subsequent week. That’d be a really welcome growth, as Gonsolin labored to a 2.14 ERA by means of 130 1/3 innings in an All-Star season final 12 months.
Ryan Pepiot had been anticipated to take Gonsolin’s rotation spot out of the gate. Sadly for the 25-year-old, he suffered an indirect pressure on the finish of Spring Coaching. It seems he’s a methods off, as Roberts stated the righty continues to be restricted to plyometric work and hasn’t but began throwing (through Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic). Whereas the return timetable isn’t clear, it’s obvious that Pepiot’s progress has been slower than initially hoped.
L.A. has turned to Michael Grove with Gonsolin and Pepiot out of motion. The West Virginia product was hit exhausting in his first two begins of the season earlier than a powerful exhibiting on Saturday. He allowed only one run with six strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 innings in a win over the Cubs. Even that strong work nonetheless introduced Grove to a 9.00 ERA in 13 frames this season.
The Dodgers have been dealt successful on the place participant facet final week. Catcher Will Smith landed on the concussion injured record retroactive to April 13. That solely incorporates a minimal stint of seven days, which means Smith may return as early as Thursday. The star backstop attributed the harm to a sequence of latest foul ideas off the masks (hyperlink through Invoice Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Smith stated he’d proceed with comprehensible warning given the character of the harm however famous that he’s already figuring out and plans to journey with the membership on their highway journey spanning April 20-27.
It appears he’s on monitor to return with out a rehab stint if all goes nicely, maybe not lengthy after he’s first eligible. The Dodgers signed Austin Wynns to a significant league deal to again up Austin Barnes whereas Smith is out. Wynns has exhausted his minor league choice years, so his keep on the 40-man roster could show transient if the Dodgers don’t plan to hold three catchers as soon as Smith makes his return.
