LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers could soon hope to add more pitching talent, although there is some disagreement about how realistic that option actually is.
Right-hander Tony Gonsolin, who missed this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, threw a bullpen session from the main mound at Dodger Stadium on Sunday morning and said he has not given up hope of returning to pitching this season.
It’s been less than a year since Gonsolin’s surgery on Sept. 1 of last year, and although he has thrown to batters three times at the team’s complex in Glendale, Arizona, he has never done so in a game setting, simulated or otherwise.
Another session against batsmen will be held on Wednesday.
“I think there’s definitely enough time to come back as a starter,” Gonsolin said Sunday. “We’ll see where we are. The main thing is that we just feel healthy.”
Manager Dave Roberts also did not rule out Gonsolin’s chances of returning this season, but his assessment was a little more cautious. Roberts also said Gonsolin would contribute as a reliever if he could return.
“I think that’s a good mindset for Tony to have to aim for something this year,” Roberts said. “If everything works out, that’s great, and if not, we can focus on 2025. But I think his mindset that the door isn’t quite closed on 2024 is a good thing.”
Gonsolin said his timetable for a return will be clear in early September.
“I’ll probably know if there’s a chance, but we won’t know until we get there,” Gonsolin said. “We’ll have to see how I recover after each live BP and go from there.”
Gonsolin pitched last season despite elbow discomfort and had an 8-5 record with a 4.98 ERA in 20 starts. That came after a stellar 2022 season in which he was 16-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 24 starts and was named an All-Star for the first time.
NEW LOOK
Sunday’s game, following a 10-inning contest on Saturday, brought a number of changes to the starting lineup, including Tommy Edman moving from center field to shortstop, Enrique Hernandez moving from infield to center and Chris Taylor starting at second base.
Catcher Hunter Feduccia also made his first start in his second season with the club, batting in San Diego on July 31.
“Hunter is from the South and has a slow heart rate,” Roberts said. “He’s very calm in the (batter’s) box. I don’t think this moment will be too big for him and guys like him. He’s been in the organization a long time and understands what we do as an organization with the pitching staff.”
ROTATION CHANGE
Right-hander Jack Flaherty’s next start will be pushed back one day to Tuesday for a home game against the Baltimore Orioles. Right-hander Walker Buehler’s next start will be pushed back one day from Tuesday to Wednesday’s game against the Orioles.
“It’s just about giving Walker an extra day,” Roberts said.
Buehler is 1-4 with a 6.09 ERA in 10 starts this season. He missed two years after his second shoulder surgery and then spent more time on the injured list because of a hip problem. Since returning from the hip injury, Buehler has pitched just 7 1/3 innings with a 7.36 ERA in two starts.
ROCK’N’ROLL
Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will make his first minor league rehab appearance for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday in a game at Round Rock, Texas. Before leaving, Yamamoto will serve as a bullpen pitcher on Monday at Dodger Stadium.
Yamamoto has been on the injured list since June 16 due to a strain of his right rotator cuff.
The Dodgers had planned for Yamamoto to pitch in simulated games, but have adjusted to having him face Triple-A competition instead. He is expected to be reinstated in the rotation, possibly in the second week of September.
Yamamoto had a forgettable debut with the Dodgers in March, allowing five runs in a game in South Korea and lasting just one inning against the San Diego Padres. But he rebounded to post a record of 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA in 14 starts.
ALSO
On the same day the Dodgers distributed 40,000 Kobe Bryant jerseys to their fans, the club donated $100,000 to the Bryant Family Foundation. Mookie Betts presented the check to Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, and his daughters, Natalia, Bianka and Capri. Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in 2020. … Right-hander River Ryan underwent successful Tommy John surgery and is resting at home in North Carolina. … Right-hander Brusdar Graterol (hamstring) is expected to begin minor league rehab next week and is expected to return before the end of the regular season.
Next
The Dodgers have Monday off.
Orioles (TBD) at Dodgers (RHP Jack Flaherty, 10-5, 3.00 ERA), Tuesday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570-AM
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