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The Los Angeles Dodgers are synonymous these days with superstar starting pitchers, from World Series hero Yoshinobu Yamamoto, to two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, to possibly the greatest player ever in Shohei Ohtani. Once, right-hander Tony Gonsolin belonged in the mix with names like those on the Dodgers staff. On Thursday, he became a quiet roster casualty at the end of a World Series championship season in which he hardly played a part. According to the official transactions log of Major League Baseball, Gonsolin was designated for assignment as part of a series of 40-man roster moves by the Dodgers. MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 09: A view of a Los Angeles Dodgers hat in the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on April 09, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Dodgers defeated the Twins 6-3. Outfielder Ryan Ward and right-handed pitcher Robinson Ortiz were added to the roster, while right-handed pitcher Michael Grove was outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City and outfielder Justin Dean was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants (per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area). Gonsolin, 31, had excellent overall stats in his six seasons of work on the mound in Los Angeles. He posted a 37-13 overall record and a 3.34 ERA, earning an All-Star selection in 2022. That year, he led the majors in winning percentage with a 16-1 record (.941) and posted his best-ever ERA at 2.24. Unfortunately for Gonsolin, injuries began taking a toll in 2022, when he suffered a forearm strain that prevented him from getting back to full strength by the time the playoffs went around. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023, missed all of last season, then returned this year only to tear his UCL a second time, undergoing an internal brace procedure in August. This season, Gonsolin had a 5.00 ERA in seven starts (36 innings). He was arbitration-eligible for next season, but the Dodgers weren’t inclined to match whatever price tag that process would have granted him. Gonsolin will always have memories of taking the mound in the World Series for the Dodgers in 2020, and he was around for these two most recent championships too, even if he couldn’t make an impact on the field. But he’ll have to hope another team takes a shot on signing him during his rehab in hopes of making a return to game action sometime late next season. More MLB: Dodgers Make $10 Million Decision on Max Muncy’s Future: Report
