With only four games remaining in the regular season, the National League playoff picture has finally gained some clarity. The Los Angeles Dodgers, having secured home-field advantage with their victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday, will officially host the winner of the NL Wild Card Game.
The club will now attempt to assemble the best possible roster in their quest to not only return to the NL Championship Series for a fourth consecutive year, but a third straight trip to the World Series as well.
While the Dodgers’ position-player group has all but been finalized, the same can’t be said for the pitching staff. Manager Dave Roberts still has some tough decisions to make in regards to the Game 4 starter and overall construction of the bullpen.
Focusing on the former, the Dodgers have plenty of options to choose from in the event Rich Hill is unable to handle starting duties. Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Julio Urias figure to all be in the running given their success this season.
As for Gonsolin, who didn’t make his MLB debut until June, he didn’t believe being under consideration for a spot on the Dodgers’ postseason roster was feasible, but he understandably is hopeful to be active in October, as seen on SportsNet LA:
“I didn’t expect myself to be in the running for a postseason roster spot, to be honest. Just trying to enjoy the moment every day and do the best I can to get that spot and excel with it. … I just think it would be incredible. For it being my first year in the big leagues and going through the ups and downs of a regular season, it would mean a lot to make my first postseason roster. Hopefully I can do my best to help the team.”
Gonsolin entered the 2019 season as one of the Dodgers’ top-ranked pitching prospects and has taken advantage of every opportunity to come his way. Since allowing four runs in his debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Gonsolin has yielded no more than two runs in nine consecutive appearances.
In 10 overall games this season, he has accumulated a solid 4-2 record, 3.00 ERA, 3.71 FIP and 1.00 WHIP with 36 strikeouts against 13 walks across 39 innings pitched.
Dependent on which direction the Dodgers elect to go in for a Game 4 starter and how many relievers they carry for the NL Division Series, Gonsolin could ultimately vie for a spot in the bullpen as well.
