The Los Angeles Dodgers began the 2025 season without several key pitchers due to injury, including Tony Gonsolin, Michael Kopech and Evan Phillips.
Gonsolin went into Spring Training competing with Bobby Miller and Dustin May to earn the fifth spot in the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation, but was eliminated from consideration when he injured his back while lifting weights.
Meanwhile, Kopech reported to Camelback Ranch behind schedule because of lingering effects from right forearm inflammation that surfaced during the 2024 postseason.
Phillips is also dealing with effects of a right rotator cuff strain that prevented him from pitching in the World Series.
Dodgers injury updates
Tony Gonsolin
Gonsolin is scheduled to face hitters next week and will be with the Dodgers for their ring ceremony on Friday.
“Tony is doing well,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He’ll be back here for the ring ceremony. I think he’s going to face hitters [Monday]. He’s progressing nicely. Building him back up.
“I don’t know when he’s going to be back, but everything I’ve heard about Tony has been really good.”
Michael Kopech
Roberts did not have any updates on Kopech but stopped short of calling it a setback.
“Not really. I think Kopech is sort of in a holding pattern,” he began.
“Don’t really know what that means. It’s not a setback, it’s just kind of where he’s at, the buildup, he’s been pretty stagnant, I think. Don’t know what his time of return is.”
Reports indicated that Kopech dealt with forearm inflammation during the postseason, but the Dodgers officially placed him on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement.
“It’s what he dealt with last year,” Roberts noted. “Just kind of going through the grind and intensity, and then he got sick in the offseason, and that cutback his ramp-up.
“So that really set him back a few weeks in itself. So kind of both those things.”
Evan Phillips
Phillips appears to be the furthest along of the three and is scheduled to face hitters before heading back to Camelback Ranch.
“Evan threw [Saturday] in a live session and looked really sharp,” Roberts said. “The thought is he will either throw [Monday] or the next day, another inning, and he’ll be here for the ring ceremony obviously. And then he’ll make his way to Arizona.”
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