Gonsolin’s Elbow Lands Him on the IL

Saturday, June 7, 2025

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2025

Well, another Dodger starter bites the dust.

Tony Gonsolin with a sore elbow landed on the IL. This is the fifteenth Dodger pitcher to go on the IL. Most teams couldn’t survive this rash of pitching injuries, but the Dodgers are used to it since the beginning of 2023. Nevertheless, the Dodgers are showing signs of the stress about having so many pitching injuries. Even the offense is feeling the stress to produce.

On Saturday, the Dodgers activated both Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech from the IL to help the weary bullpen. By far, the Dodgers’ bullpen has hurled the most innings in the major leagues. This is not sustainable, and the Dodgers will look for relievers at the trading deadline.

In August 2023, Gonsolin underwent Tommy John surgery. Since he injured his back during this spring training, he didn’t start until April 30th. For the first three starts, he was brilliant. Then, he has struggled. No one knows when Gonsolin will return.

When the Dodgers have Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Roki Sasaki on the IL, they need starters!  Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been great but hasn’t gotten adequate offensive support. Dustin May has been inconsistent in his return from his second Tommy John surgery and life-saving esophagus repair. Clayton Kershaw is 37 and performs like he is old. Landon Knack and Justin Wrobleski aren’t ready for major leagues.

If the Dodgers don’t get healthy starters and relievers, they won’t go to the postseason. Andrew Friedman tried to have enough depth, but he couldn’t foresee these pitching injuries. He has sought pitchers but difficult to find pitchers since every team wants a pitcher. After the All-Star break, the Dodgers think Shohei Ohtani will pitch, but he hasn’t hurled in the major leagues since September 2023.

Friedman has experience finding pitching, but he can’t prepare.

By admin

Since 1977, I have been an avid Dodger fan. In high school, I became my school's baseball statistician and vowed to have a career in baseball. After I graduated from Pasadena City College, I started writing about my favorite team. In August 2001, I was featured in Her Blue Haven by Bill Plaschke. I was a freelance writer for Major League Baseball Advanced Media from 2001 to 2018. This website provides you a professional outlook on the Los Angeles Dodgers. No article will take you more than two minutes to read. Missed a game? No problem. You can read a game summary in two minutes or less.