Following a career year in 2022 with a selection to an All-Star team, Tony Gonsolin could not find the same magic in 2023 than he did in the year prior.
Now that he is out for the rest of the season and most likely all of next season with Tommy John surgery, the cause of his injury seems to stem back a couple of months.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that Gonsolin was pitching on a torn UCL in his elbow since June. Although the injury affected his velocity and movement on his pitches, Dave Roberts and the Dodgers continued to send Gonsolin out to pitch every fifth day, as he along with Dr. Neal ElAttrache confirmed that he was good to pitch.
Gonsolin reached a point in his last start where the results just weren’t there and the team decided it was time to shut things down. Even though he was pitching through the injury, Roberts believes that Gonsolin was still putting forth his best effort.
“He felt good enough to pitch, where somebody else could have the same imaging and not be able to pitch,” Roberts said. “There were still (ninety-)threes and (ninety-)fours (on the radar gun). The slider was good. He just wasn’t getting guys out. At that point, we felt he’s earned the opportunity to try to work through it. He’s earned the opportunity to try to reach some incentives.
Via Orange County Register
The injury to his elbow was not helping with his stats. Gonsolin was putting up the worst numbers in his career through 20 starts.
On the season, Gonsolin had an ERA nearing five and was not missing bats. He had already given up more hits and home runs than he was last year in four fewer starts. He also had put up a career-high in walks allowed.
Even though he was injured, Gonsolin did fill the spots for other starters who went down with injury including Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May and Julio Urias.
Now it is Gonsolin’s turn to spend some time on the injured list for the time being.
Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
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