Pitcher Tony Gonsolin of the Los Angeles Dodgers is starting his recovery assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, a little over a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
Gonsolin has yet to pitch for the Dodgers this season as he continues his recovery and rehabilitation from surgery. Initially a key player for the Dodgers at the start of the 2023 season, he was sidelined with forearm inflammation after a rough outing where he gave up five home runs and 10 earned runs. Subsequently, he underwent Tommy John surgery.
In August of last year, Gonsolin disclosed that he had been pitching with a torn UCL in his right elbow for several weeks.
At 30 years old, Gonsolin has spent his entire career with the Dodgers, who selected him in the ninth round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Originally an outfielder in college, he transitioned to pitching in the Dodgers’ minor league system, where he was named their Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2018 before making his MLB debut the following season.
Gonsolin had a breakout performance during the shortened 2020 COVID-19 season, appearing in nine games with eight starts. He recorded a 2-2 record with a 2.31 ERA and 46 strikeouts, finishing fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, which was won by Milwaukee Brewers’ Devin Williams. He also contributed to the Dodgers’ World Series win over the Tampa Bay Rays, pitching in two of the six games.
Since 2020, injuries have plagued Gonsolin each year. He missed the start of the 2021 season due to shoulder inflammation and had additional shoulder issues later in the year.
In 2022, Gonsolin had his best season yet, going 16-1 in 24 starts with a 2.14 ERA and 119 strikeouts, earning his first MLB All-Star Game selection. However, he was placed on the IL towards the end of the season due to a forearm strain.
Throughout the 2023 season, Gonsolin dealt with a persistent arm injury. He made 20 starts, finishing with an 8-5 record and a career-worst 4.98 ERA, along with 82 strikeouts before concluding his season early.
His return on Tuesday is hoped to mark the beginning of a comeback to his previous form before the challenges of the 2023 season.
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