ST. LOUIS – Tony Gonsolin underwent an MRI on his sore elbow Saturday and one thing was clear.
“The UCL is intact … which is great news,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts reported of the ulnar collateral ligament which Gonsolin had repaired via Tommy John surgery in 2023. “He’s going to be down from throwing. I don’t know when that is going to be again. I think the main takeaway is the UCL is intact.”
It is unclear how long Gonsolin will be sidelined at this point and Roberts offered no specifics about what might be causing Gonsolin’s elbow pain. Scar tissue from the surgery and inflammation in the joint are two possible explanations.
“I think probably all of the above,” Roberts said. “I don’t know if there was a specific incident or if it was just the buildup of throwing.”
Gonsolin missed all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. His return to the mound this season was delayed by a back injury late in spring training. He made seven starts, going 3-2 with a 5.00 ERA. Most recently, he gave up three runs in five innings in a loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday.
Roberts said he was informed Friday that Gonsolin was experiencing discomfort in his elbow and the right-hander went on the Injured List Saturday. He is the 14th pitcher and eighth starter currently on the Dodgers’ Injured List.
BIG SERIES
The Dodgers head to San Diego for a three-game series starting Monday, their first time facing the Padres this season and the first of 10 consecutive games against NL West opponents – seven against the Padres who moved within a game of them in the division heading into Sunday’s games.
It is not a big series at this point on the calendar, Roberts insisted.
“Outside of it just being a division opponent and us trying to find a way to win a game it really doesn’t have any extra impact,” he said Sunday. “I think right now we’re not playing our best baseball but I think that environment is going to bring out the best in us. It’s a fun place to play a ballgame. But as far as the stakes, right now, I don’t think it has a whole lot.”
The Padres and their fans probably will not share that perspective. Roberts acknowledged that the Dodgers-Padres games always seem to be more important from the San Diego side.
“Those fans, those players get up for playing us,” he said. “Obviously the geography part of it, the rivalry part of it – but I do think we do a good job of trying not to put too much emphasis on going into that environment other than playing a division rival because at the end of the day it comes down to playing good baseball. But it’s still fun though.”
Being the opposing team’s most important visitor is a constant for the Dodgers, Roberts said.
“That is the case. We’ve become very accustomed to that,” he said. “We do get everyone’s ‘Sunday best.’ That’s part of what comes with putting on this uniform for the Dodgers. That’s expected. That’s part of it.”
KOPECH RETURN
Right-hander Michael Kopech was activated from the Injured List on Saturday after a roller-coast rehab assignment in Triple-A. Kopech walked all five batters he faced in his first game and gave up 11 runs in 6 1/3 innings overall but struck out 10 and hit 101 mph with his fastball.
“I was kind of working on stuff, going out there and trying to get back in a rhythm with how my body was feeling consistently,” Kopech said. “So some days I was a lot more externally focused than it should have been as far as just competing. Then there were outings when I bounced back with just going out there competing but I needed to throw more off-speed pitches to work on that. So I would go into my next outing with more of an off-speed focus.
“It was just different from day to day. It wasn’t necessarily the day-to-day focus on competing that we’re going to have here.”
Kopech pitched through forearm pain during the postseason last fall, had illness interrupt his offseason throwing program and came down with shoulder pain when he tried to ramp it up this spring. All of that is behind him, he said.
“We’re caught up now,” he said. “I would say I feel as good as I ever have. But I think I realize that every year I’m going to feel a little different and I have to realize what the new norm is each year. But I’m in a good spot right now.
“I’ve been antsy to get back, not trying to rush anything but very excited to be back around the guys and be able to contribute in this bullpen.”
REHAB ROUNDUP
Right-hander Emmet Sheehan made his second rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City and third overall Saturday.
Sheehan pitched three innings, allowed a run on two hits and a walk while striking out four. Sheehan threw 58 pitches. He is expected to be an option for the Dodgers’ starting rotation at some point before the All-Star break.
Reliever Edgardo Henriquez also continued his rehab assignment Saturday but allowed two runs on two hits in his inning. Henriquez has pitched 3 ⅔ innings over four appearances, allowing three runs on three hits and striking out four.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Dustin May, 3-4, 4.09 ERA) at Padres (TBA), Monday, 6:40 p.m. SportsNet LA, 570 AM
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