The Los Angeles Dodgers selected the contract of prospect Tony Gonsolin and optioned Will Smith to Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Tony Cingrani was transferred to the 60-day injured list to create room on the 40-man roster.
Gonsolin is making his MLB debut in Wednesday’s start. He joins prior OKC teammates Matt Beaty, Kyle Garlick, Will Smith and Josh Sborz in also receiving that honor this season. Of the quartet, Beaty, Garlick and Smith currently remain on the Dodgers’ active roster.
Named the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year for 2018, Gonsolin impressed as a non-roster invitee to big league camp in Spring Training and carried that momentum into the 2019 Minor League season. So much so that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he would not be surprised if the right-hander joined his club this year.
More recently, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman did not rule out Gonsolin or fellow top pitching prospect Dustin May potentially making an impact out of the bullpen.
In his first season pitching at the Triple-A level, Gonsolin went 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 31 strikeouts and 13 walks over 26 innings pitched across eight starts. However, he missed most of May due to an oblique strain and hasn’t thrown more than 77 pitches or five innings in a start this season.
One day after using Ross Stripling as a spot starter in wake of placing Rich Hill on the 10-day injured list because of a strained flexor tendon in his left forearm, the Dodgers using Gonsolin gives their rotation additional rest.
Smith returns to Oklahoma City after a second stint with the Dodgers that saw him hit another walk-off home run. It was the second of his career and helped the Dodgers make MLB history with a third consecutive game of a rookie hitting a walk-off home run.
In nine games with the Dodgers, Smith batted .269/.345/.654 with one double, three home runs and six RBI. With his return to Oklahoma City, the Dodgers are left with a three-man bench.
Smith joined the club on Sunday in a corresponding move to David Freese being placed on the 10-day injured list because of a left hamstring strain. “I think No. 1, he’s been very productive obviously. He’s earned the opportunity to get back up here,” Roberts said at the time.
“To have his bat off the bench to free up Russell or anybody else who’s not playing, I think is a good thing. I’ll have him catch one of these games here at some point in time. I just think for the most part he’s earned the opportunity.”
