Tony Gonsolin was placed on the 15-day injured list last week with right elbow discomfort and became the 14th Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher currently out.
The rash of injuries have forced the Dodgers to tap into their pitching depth more times than not this season, leading to the constant shuffling of pitchers from Triple-A Oklahoma City to Los Angeles.
The Dodgers so far have used 30 different pitchers this year (including Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas), which comes after the team had 40 appear on the mound for them in their 2024 World Series championship season.
Manager Dave Roberts admitted the shuffling of pitchers, starters specifically, has been inconvenient at times but does not consider it to be a significant hindrance, via Kevin Baxter of the L.A. Times:
“I wouldn’t say, a problem,” manager Dave Roberts, who has used 13 different starting pitchers through 64 games, said of the revolving door. “It’s certainly not ideal.”
Roberts noted how weekly roster tinkering has become a regular part of the game and does not believe it will hurt the Dodgers’ chemistry:
“It’s part of the culture nowadays in the major leagues, as far as kind of having optionable players and kind of having guys in and out of clubhouses,” he said. ”For our particular club, the core is still the core. But certainly on the periphery or the ancillary players that kind of go up and down, they’re kind of in and out, which is not easy for them.”
Roberts added that the Dodgers coaching staff has prioritized making players feel like they belong during their short stays in the Majors:
To combat that, Roberts said his coaches try to make sure the players feel comfortable during their stays, which can sometimes last less than 24 hours.
“It’s still not easy when you’re here for a couple days and then you’re out, then you’re back,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers expect to get back most of their injured pitchers at some point this season, which could create a roster crunch late in the year, similar to the 2024 campaign when several players were designated for assignment.
Dodgers shuffling of pitchers likely to continue
Justin Wrobleski was recalled last week to make a start in the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, and he was expected to next face the San Diego Padres in the finale at Petco Park. However, Ben Casparius started instead and Wrobleski never appeared in the game.
Wrobleski has shuffled back and forth from Oklahoma City and L.A. this season, and may soon find himself back with the Comets in favor of a fresh arm or when Emmet Sheehan potentially makes his 2025 debut later this month.
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