Tony Gonsolin feeling 'maybe a little bit' overlooked by Dodgers

MEZA, Ariz. — After a strong offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers have assembled one of the best pitching staffs ever. The question remains: who will be the fifth starter in the rotation?

On Friday afternoon, right-hander Tony Gonsolin made an impressive debut in the Cactus League against the Chicago Cubs. He started the game by allowing a leadoff single to Ian Happ but then faced four additional batters. Gonsolin gave up only one hit, struck out two batters, and successfully threw 11 strikes out of 18 pitches.

"Overall felt pretty good. I thought the fastball execution could be a little bit better but thought I threw a couple of good splitters, couple good sliders and couple good curveballs. Overall, it was good results." Gonsolin said.

Gonsolin hasn't pitched in a Major League game since August 2023. During that season, he made 20 starts, finishing with a record of 8 wins and 5 losses, along with a 4.98 ERA. Unfortunately, he underwent Tommy John surgery. Gonsolin was coming off his first All-Star selection in 2022, where he recorded an impressive 16-1 record and a 2.14 ERA.

The 30-year-old is preparing for a fresh start in 2025, as he did not pitch for the Dodgers in 2024. Gonsolin made three rehab starts for Oklahoma City in September, during which he gave up two earned runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out 12 batters over 7.2 innings. Gonsolin had a chance to make the postseason roster, but Roberts preferred not to impose a heavy workload on someone recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Dave Roberts spoke after the game about Gonsolin's performance, noting that his velocity was between 91 and 92 mph, which is not where he wants it to be. Roberts expects Gonsolin’s velocity to increase to between 92 and 94 mph eventually. However, as Gonsolin progresses this spring, Roberts understands that it may be challenging for him to return to All-Star form.

"I think he's in a really good spot given what he's been through the last calendar year," Roberts said.

The Dodgers initially considered the possibility of using a six-man rotation early in the offseason but later decided to stick with the traditional five-man rotation. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki are set to be named as starters. However, with one spot remaining, Roberts will face another tough decision in the upcoming weeks as they prepare for the Tokyo Series. So far, Roberts has been impressed with what he saw from Gonsolin in his spring debut.

“Right now, he looks strong,” Roberts said. “Delivery looks consistent. His secondary pitches are crisp, and I’m looking forward to building him up.”

Gonsolin recognizes that having been absent from the team for the past year and a half makes it more challenging for him to secure a place on a highly competitive pitching staff. Following Bobby Miller's recent incident, there may be a slight setback for him, and for Dustin May, it seems he might not be ready to take on a starting role at this point in his recovery. Gonsolin had a heathly offseason and was the first healthy offseason in the last three years. In any other rotation across the league, Miller, Day, and Gonsolin would surely be a top starter.

At this time, Gonsolin should secure the fifth spot in the rotation, as he has a lot to prove following surgery, proving he can be the pitcher he once was. Also, lets not forget the snub by his teammate Clayton Kershaw, who was named the National League starter for the 2022 All-Star Game held at Dodger Stadium. Gonsolin had an impressive 11-0 record with a 1.62 ERA, making him arguably the best pitcher during the first half of the 2022 season.

Gonsolin was asked after his first spring outing, whether he feels somewhat overlooked in the Dodgers' starting rotation.

"Maybe a little bit, just trying to go out there and compete and see what happens."