Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
After missing part of the 2023 season and all of last year due to Tommy John surgery, Tony Gonsolin is set to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Gonsolin labored through 20 starts in 2023 as he pitched through a right elbow injury that required surgery, leading to significant declines in his stuff and overall production.
The right-hander began his rehab assignment in 2024 and became an option to return late in the season, but the Dodgers never took it to that point.
With Spring Training now just around the corner, Gonsolin is ready to once again contribute to the team.
“Very excited,” Gonsolin said during his trip to the El Nido Family Center. “I finished the season strong last year with my rehab, and normal offseason for me. So looking to start Spring Training ready to go.”
Gonsolin added “everything’s good” with his elbow and he’s been training during the offseason as he normally would and working to improve on rather than needing to solely focus on rehab.
Gonsolin’s normal offseason training has included bullpen sessions and strength and conditioning workouts. The Dodgers are still likely to be cautious with Gonsolin, but he is expected to open the season as a member of their rotation.
In his last full season in 2022, Gonsolin earned an All-Star Game selection and finished the year with a 2.14 ERA, 3.28 FIP, 8.22 strikeouts per nine innings and 2.42 walks per nine.
Since his debut in 2019, only 13 starting pitchers with a minimum of 300 innings have posted an ERA lower than Gonsolin’s 3.13 mark.
Among the pitchers ahead of him include Clayton Kershaw and Shohei Ohtani. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow also rank among the top 25 of that list.
Tony Gonsolin, Dodgers avoided arbitration
Earlier this offseason, Gonsolin and the Dodgers came to terms on a one-year, $5.4 million contract for the 2025 season to avoid arbitration.
Gonsolin was arbitration-eligible for the third time in his career and still has one more season of team control remaining.
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