Tony Gonsolin completed the targeted two innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City and now is scheduled to join the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation during the upcoming Colorado Rockies series.
Manager Dave Roberts said Gonsolin’s return from the 15-day injured list will come Monday, in the fourth of a rare six-game series. The other option was to activate Gonsolin on Sunday for a start on normal rest.
Heading into the rehab assignment, Roberts said the Dodgers had not yet decided how many outings Gonsolin would need with Oklahoma City. Then he indicated a return could come after just the one start so long as the right-hander fared well in the outing and did not experience a setback with his forearm.
Gonsolin allowed a game-opening single but faced the minimum over two scoreless innings.
Gonsolin is expected to stretch out to three innings in his return to the Dodgers. The club anticipates the 28-year-old then being in position to throw upwards of four innings in a potential start during the National League Division Series.
Prior to going on the IL with the right forearm strain, Gonsolin led the NL with a 2.10 ERA. That’s still the lowest mark among NL pitchers, but he no longer has enough innings to qualify on the leaderboard.
Gonsolin is 16-1 over 23 starts and earned his first career All-Star Game selection this season.
Tony Gonsolin likely part of Dodgers rotation for NLDS
The Dodgers have not yet committed to an order, but Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urías are the planned starters for Games 1 and 2 in the NLDS.
Tyler Anderson and Gonsolin then figure to slot in behind them, with that order also still to be determined. Because of the innings limit on Gonsolin, it’s likely he would be part of a tandem — potentially with Andrew Heaney — or follow an opener.
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