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Fox News
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
After Quiet Deadline, Will the Dodgers' Pitching Injuries Be Their Undoing?
ANAHEIM, Calif. – On the same day the Dodgers announced that starter Tony Gonsolin underwent season-ending elbow surgery, their beleaguered bullpen took another more costly hit. Brock Stewart, the lone high-leverage arm the team acquired at the trade deadline to address their most glaring area of need, joined the bevy of Dodgers relievers already residing on the injured list in the latest blow to a floundering unit. "Right now, it's a big loss," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said ahead of Wednesday's game against the Angels. "Obviously, he's a big part of what we're trying to do, so to not have him available hurts." Stewart, who made just four appearances with his new club before being sidelined, is dealing with shoulder inflammation. The Dodgers hope they caught it early enough that he can still help them down the stretch, but hope is all they have now for a besieged bullpen that is waiting for many of its most important pieces to get healthy, return to form or both. In Stewart, Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol, five of their potential October high-leverage options are currently sidelined. Still, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman remains optimistic. "First and foremost, I think that we have a very legitimate chance to have the most talented pitching staff in October we've ever had," Friedman maintained. "First, we have to qualify for October. If we're fortunate enough to do that, I think we will have arguably our most talented pitching staff that we've ever had with some really good pitchers left off. It's what I'm anticipating." In the interim, the Dodgers are attempting to patch together a problem area that was only lightly addressed at a deadline that saw a number of other top National League competitors make more meaningful bullpen moves. The Padres, who trailed the Dodgers by six games in the division as recently as July 25, are now tied atop the NL West after getting a boost from a litany of deadline additions that included flamethrowing reliever Mason Miller. The Phillies found their closer for the present and future in Jhoan Duran, who has locked down each of his first four save opportunities in Philadelphia. The Mets, while stumbling of late, added a trio of high-leverage options in the bullpen including two-time All-Star Ryan Helsley, who led the majors in saves last season. The Dodgers, meanwhile, decided against parting with any top prospects to try to bolster a bullpen that ranks in the bottom 10 in ERA, has thrown more innings than any in baseball and is missing most of its top arms. "We don't feel any differently about our aspirations than we did at the beginning of the year," Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said after the deadline. Even now, with Stewart hurt and the revamped Padres on their tails, the Dodgers' front office is not lamenting or regretting last month's inaction. "You don't live like that," Friedman said. "There's deals that we thought made sense for us, we pursued hard. It's not like we had a potential to do a deal and we were like, 'No,' and now we're like, 'Oh, I wish we would have.' It's always that balance. Lining up on a trade is hard." They were able to make a few on the margins, including sending outfielder James Outman to Minnesota to acquire Stewart. The former Twins reliever had been lethal against right-handed hitters all year but came with a checkered injury history, including season-ending shoulder surgery last season. "From our standpoint, we felt like the upside – and hopefully we still have the chance to realize that – far outweighed the risk," Friedman said. "But of course there's inherent risk in every decision that's made, even decisions that aren't made." Stewart was brought in primarily to address the season-ending loss of Evan Phillips, who underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year. Now, they're both among the many high-leverage absences in the group. "I'm not worried about our pitching," Friedman maintained. "Once we get to a good spot, I think it's going to be a real strength for us." Friedman entered the season hoping the juggernaut roster he assembled this winter would be deep enough that he wouldn't need to buy in July. But the game is not played on paper, and many of the club's winter additions and re-signings have yet to play to their potential. Michael Conforto has the lowest batting average of any qualified MLB hitter. Tommy Edman, who agreed to a five-year extension in November, is on the injured list with a recurring ankle issue. Teoscar Hernandez, who agreed to a three-year extension in January, is hitting just slightly above league average. Blake Snell has made just four starts, though his last one was particularly encouraging. Roki Sasaki, who is scheduled to start a rehab assignment this week, registered a 4.72 ERA in eight starts before going on the injured list. Still, the rotation is starting to round into form. The issues in the bullpen, meanwhile, continue to linger and create uncertainty at a time when the Padres are breathing down their necks. The Dodgers added two of the most highly-touted relief options on the market this offseason in Scott and Yates, who were both coming off All-Star campaigns. Both have performed at a replacement level this year, with ERAs over 4.00, and are currently injured. Two more high-leverage options, Kopech and Graterol, are also sidelined. On the bright side, all four of those relievers are expected back before year's end. Kopech faced hitters on Monday and could return before the end of the month. Scott and Yates are expected to throw live batting practice sessions later this week, while Graterol, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, could make his debut next month. Right now, though, losses are mounting, and the late innings are unpredictable. The Dodgers are 15-20 since the start of July. Their bullpen this month has an 0-4 record with more blown saves (three) than saves (two). Blake Treinen, a bullpen hero last October who re-signed on a two-year deal this December, has allowed three runs and 13 baserunners in six appearances since returning from a forearm injury on July 27. Alex Vesia, who had been among the most reliable options all year, allowed the game-winning run in the ninth inning Sunday against the Blue Jays and the game-tying run in the ninth inning of Tuesday's extra-inning loss against the Angels. "Super frustrating," Vesia said. "At a loss of words." There's no telling what any of the injured relievers will look like upon their returns, which made the Dodgers' deadline inactivity such a risk a year after their bullpen helped carry them to the finish line. Still, they remain optimistic that as pieces return over the next two months, there will be enough time for the relievers they're counting on to round into shape and for their pitching staff to help them repeat as champions. After their quiet deadline, there's no other choice. "Hopefully, we win the last game of the year, and we can say, 'See, it was a strength,'" Friedman said. "But time will tell, and we feel good about the quality and depth of arms that we have. Now we have to get 'em back and get 'em healthy, and keep our other guys healthy. But again, feel like this has a very legitimate chance to be the most talented pitching staff we've ever had." Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.
Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
After Quiet Deadline, Will the Dodgers' Pitching Injuries Be Their Undoing?
Major League Baseball After Quiet Deadline, Will the Dodgers' Pitching Injuries Be Their Undoing? Updated Aug. 13, 2025 7:09 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link ANAHEIM, Calif. – On the same day the Dodgers announced that starter Tony Gonsolin underwent season-ending elbow surgery, their beleaguered bullpen took another more costly hit. Brock Stewart, the lone high-leverage arm the team acquired at the trade deadline to address their most glaring area of need, joined the bevy of Dodgers relievers already residing on the injured list in the latest blow to a floundering unit. "Right now, it's a big loss," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said ahead of Wednesday's game against the Angels. "Obviously, he's a big part of what we're trying to do, so to not have him available hurts." Stewart, who made just four appearances with his new club before being sidelined, is dealing with shoulder inflammation. The Dodgers hope they caught it early enough that he can still help them down the stretch, but hope is all they have now for a besieged bullpen that is waiting for many of its most important pieces to get healthy, return to form or both. ADVERTISEMENT In Stewart, Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol, five of their potential October high-leverage options are currently sidelined. Still, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman remains optimistic. "First and foremost, I think that we have a very legitimate chance to have the most talented pitching staff in October we've ever had," Friedman maintained. "First, we have to qualify for October. If we're fortunate enough to do that, I think we will have arguably our most talented pitching staff that we've ever had with some really good pitchers left off. It's what I'm anticipating." In the interim, the Dodgers are attempting to patch together a problem area that was only lightly addressed at a deadline that saw a number of other top National League competitors make more meaningful bullpen moves. The Padres, who trailed the Dodgers by six games in the division as recently as July 25, are now tied atop the NL West after getting a boost from a litany of deadline additions that included flamethrowing reliever Mason Miller. The Phillies found their closer for the present and future in Jhoan Duran, who has locked down each of his first four save opportunities in Philadelphia. The Mets, while stumbling of late, added a trio of high-leverage options in the bullpen including two-time All-Star Ryan Helsley, who led the majors in saves last season. The Dodgers, meanwhile, decided against parting with any top prospects to try to bolster a bullpen that ranks in the bottom 10 in ERA, has thrown more innings than any in baseball and is missing most of its top arms. "We don't feel any differently about our aspirations than we did at the beginning of the year," Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said after the deadline. Even now, with Stewart hurt and the revamped Padres on their tails, the Dodgers' front office is not lamenting or regretting last month's inaction. "You don't live like that," Friedman said. "There's deals that we thought made sense for us, we pursued hard. It's not like we had a potential to do a deal and we were like, 'No,' and now we're like, 'Oh, I wish we would have.' It's always that balance. Lining up on a trade is hard." They were able to make a few on the margins, including sending outfielder James Outman to Minnesota to acquire Stewart. The former Twins reliever had been lethal against right-handed hitters all year but came with a checkered injury history, including season-ending shoulder surgery last season. "From our standpoint, we felt like the upside – and hopefully we still have the chance to realize that – far outweighed the risk," Friedman said. "But of course there's inherent risk in every decision that's made, even decisions that aren't made." Stewart was brought in primarily to address the season-ending loss of Evan Phillips, who underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year. Now, they're both among the many high-leverage absences in the group. "I'm not worried about our pitching," Friedman maintained. "Once we get to a good spot, I think it's going to be a real strength for us." Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott remains sidelined but could soon return to face batting practice sessions. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Friedman entered the season hoping the juggernaut roster he assembled this winter would be deep enough that he wouldn't need to buy in July. But the game is not played on paper, and many of the club's winter additions and re-signings have yet to play to their potential. Michael Conforto has the lowest batting average of any qualified MLB hitter. Tommy Edman, who agreed to a five-year extension in November, is on the injured list with a recurring ankle issue. Teoscar Hernandez, who agreed to a three-year extension in January, is hitting just slightly above league average. Blake Snell has made just four starts, though his last one was particularly encouraging. Roki Sasaki, who is scheduled to start a rehab assignment this week, registered a 4.72 ERA in eight starts before going on the injured list. Still, the rotation is starting to round into form. The issues in the bullpen, meanwhile, continue to linger and create uncertainty at a time when the Padres are breathing down their necks. The Dodgers added two of the most highly-touted relief options on the market this offseason in Scott and Yates, who were both coming off All-Star campaigns. Both have performed at a replacement level this year, with ERAs over 4.00, and are currently injured. Two more high-leverage options, Kopech and Graterol, are also sidelined. On the bright side, all four of those relievers are expected back before year's end. Kopech faced hitters on Monday and could return before the end of the month. Scott and Yates are expected to throw live batting practice sessions later this week, while Graterol, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, could make his debut next month. Right now, though, losses are mounting, and the late innings are unpredictable. The Dodgers are 15-20 since the start of July. Their bullpen this month has an 0-4 record with more blown saves (three) than saves (two). Blake Treinen, a bullpen hero last October who re-signed on a two-year deal this December, has allowed three runs and 13 baserunners in six appearances since returning from a forearm injury on July 27. Alex Vesia, who had been among the most reliable options all year, allowed the game-winning run in the ninth inning Sunday against the Blue Jays and the game-tying run in the ninth inning of Tuesday's extra-inning loss against the Angels. "Super frustrating," Vesia said. "At a loss of words." There's no telling what any of the injured relievers will look like upon their returns, which made the Dodgers' deadline inactivity such a risk a year after their bullpen helped carry them to the finish line. Still, they remain optimistic that as pieces return over the next two months, there will be enough time for the relievers they're counting on to round into shape and for their pitching staff to help them repeat as champions. After their quiet deadline, there's no other choice. "Hopefully, we win the last game of the year, and we can say, 'See, it was a strength,'" Friedman said. "But time will tell, and we feel good about the quality and depth of arms that we have. Now we have to get 'em back and get 'em healthy, and keep our other guys healthy. But again, feel like this has a very legitimate chance to be the most talented pitching staff we've ever had." Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner . What did you think of this story? share Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
13-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dodgers' Tony Gonsolin's season is over after latest injury update
The post Dodgers' Tony Gonsolin's season is over after latest injury update appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Los Angeles Dodgers' pitching staff has endured injuries all season long. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts finally got Blake Snell back from the injured list to complete his rotation. However, he is still waiting on Tanner Scott to return. The veteran skipper got some definitive news on Tony Gonsolin, though. Unfortunately, Los Angeles will miss a piece for the rest of the season. Gonsolin was on the injured list for the majority of the season with elbow issues. He made a return to the Dodgers' rotation, making seven starts before landing back on the IL. The team decided that surgery is the right call to ensure that he returns to full health. Unfortunately, his procedure has a long recovery time. According to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, his season is over. 'Andrew Friedman said Tony Gonsolin underwent an internal brace procedure today. His season is obviously over. It's an 8-10 month timeline,' Ardaya said. Not having Gonsolin leaves Roberts with one less option in his rotation. The Dodgers traded Dustin May to the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline because of the surplus of pitching on the roster. However, the front office might come to regret that move if the injury bug bites again. For now, though, Los Angeles' starting pitching is better than it has been all season. Scott and other relievers are making progress towards their return. If they can come back before the playoffs begin, the Dodgers should have nothing to worry about. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow form one of the best pitching trios in the league. A competent bullpen is all Los Angeles needs to win back-to-back titles. Gonsolin's timetable has him returning at some point next summer at the earliest. The former All-Star figured to be a key piece of the rotation this season. Now, Roberts has to wait a year before getting him back on the mound. In the meantime, he and his team have more pressing things to worry about. With Ohtani facing another lawsuit, distractions are abound in Los Angeles. Roberts has to deal with everything without one of his more reliable starters for the rest of the season. Related: What Dodgers must do to win NL West over Padres Related: Dodgers' Andrew Friedman's candid response to trade deadline regrets question
Yahoo
13-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
More bad news for Dodgers' bullpen: Brock Stewart goes on the IL
The Dodgers announced that starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin underwent season-ending elbow surgery on Tuesday — and that wasn't even the most troubling injury update of the day. Instead, in what manager Dave Roberts described as the latest 'big blow' to the club's reeling bullpen, right-hander Brock Stewart was placed on the injured list with what Roberts said was shoulder inflammation. The Dodgers are hopeful that they caught Stewart's injury early. Both Roberts and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman expressed confidence he would be back for the stretch run of the season. Still, Stewart was acquired at the trade deadline less than two weeks ago in order to bolster a struggling relief corps already missing Michael Kopech, Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates and Brusdar Graterol. Now, just four outings into his return to the organization, Stewart represents yet another question mark for a team that has been short on answers amid a recent 12-19 skid. 'Obviously, he's a big part of what we're trying to do,' Roberts said. 'So to not have him available hurts.' According to Roberts, Stewart had been dealing with shoulder soreness over the last four days, coinciding with his most recent outing last Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Read more: Dodgers welcome deadline additions, hopeful arrival 'raises the floor for our ballclub' Stewart is scheduled to be more thoroughly examined Wednesday, but Friedman noted that initial manual testing on his shoulder was encouraging. "Sounds like we caught it at the very front end,' Friedman said. 'So from our standpoint, we felt like, let's be smart here, take him off line. We're optimistic that he'll be back.' Hard-throwing right-hander Edgardo Henriquez was called up in Stewart's place. Stewart, who began his career as a starting pitcher with the Dodgers from 2016-2019 before reinventing himself as a hard-throwing reliever with the Minnesota Twins over the last three years, represented the Dodgers' only bullpen upgrade at the deadline. At the time, the lack of further action felt like a risk for a club that ranks 21st in the majors in reliever ERA this season (4.23). But in Stewart, who was acquired at a relatively low cost, with only outfielder James Outman going back to Minnesota in return, the Dodgers' hoped they'd not only found a right-handed replacement for Evan Phillips, who is out for the season because of a Tommy John surgery, but someone capable of shoring up one of the biggest weak spots on the roster. "I think so much of this is about knowing the person you're acquiring,' Friedman said. 'And the history we had with Brock, obviously, was really helpful with that.' Read more: Dodgers place starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin on the injured list However, Stewart took a loss in his second game with the team, giving up a tie-breaking run in the ninth against the St. Louis Cardinals last week. He was tagged for another run his next time out. And though he bounced back with a scoreless inning against the Blue Jays over the weekend, his shoulder flared up, marking the third time since the start of last year that shoulder troubles have forced him onto the injured list (he twice went on the 60-day IL last year because of shoulder injuries). 'From our standpoint, we felt like the upside, and hopefully we still have the chance to realize that, far outweighed the risk,' Friedman said when asked how much concern the team had over Stewart's injury history before acquiring him. 'But yeah, definitely came with some risk. That's where betting on the person helps. It doesn't guarantee an outcome, but it at least increases your chances. We're optimistic we'll still get there." Indeed, the Dodgers are expecting Stewart, Kopech (who is eligible to return from the 60-day IL in about two weeks), Yates (who will throw a live batting practice Wednesday), Scott (who will throw a live BP on Thursday) and Graterol (who is still expected back from offseason shoulder surgery in September) will all be back before the end of the season. But having so many guys battling injuries, Roberts conceded, is 'an added layer of uncertainty.' Stewart's arrival was supposed to help quell concerns. Now, his injury has only added to their troubles. Gonsolin out for year In the other big injury news Tuesday, Friedman said that Gonsolin underwent an internal brace and flexor tendon surgery that will sideline him for at least the next eight to 10 months. Out since early June because of elbow discomfort, Gonsolin was already a long shot to return this season. And given the relative health of the current rotation (as well as Roki Sasaki's impending return from a shoulder injury), he was unlikely to factor heavily into their postseason plans. Still, it represents yet another setback for the former All-Star right-hander, who missed the end of 2023 and all of last season with a Tommy John surgery. Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dodgers Predicted to Cut Ties With All-Star After Shohei Ohtani News
Dodgers Predicted to Cut Ties With All-Star After Shohei Ohtani News originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers, there will be some decisions that have to be made by the front office. Advertisement However, with all of the injuries the Dodgers have dealt with on the mound, it remains uncertain what the plan is. The last thing this organization wants is to bring Ohtani back, designate somebody for assignment, trade someone, and have Ohtani get injured. There's a very unfortunate chance that it could play out like that, given how things have gone for the Dodgers. At this point, they must sadly hope for the best but expect the worst. Despite that, Zach Presnell believes that the Dodgers could cut ties with a former All-Star in the form of Tony Gonsolin, a right-hander who has proven throughout his career to have above-average stuff. Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17)© Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Similar to others in the Dodgers rotation, Gonsolin has been derailed by injuries in recent years. He didn't throw a pitch in 2024 during the regular season or postseason, and appeared in just 20 games in 2023. Advertisement With seven stars under his belt during the 2025 campaign, he's posted a 5.00 ERA, which isn't great, but he's struck out 38 hitters in 36.0 innings. "With Ohtani returning, Gonsolin (who's currently on the injured list) could be on the hot seat," Pressnell wrote. "The Dodgers may try to shift him to the bullpen, but there's also a chance Los Angeles could use him in a trade if its pitching rotation can get healthy. Returning Ohtani is step one to getting fully healthy. It could also be step one to sending Gonsolin out the door this season." If the Dodgers look to trade Gonsolin, it could make some sense. There's no doubt that other teams around the league would be interested in adding a former All-Star, and somebody who once posted a 2.14 ERA. The injuries are concerning, but his stuff is legitimate. But frankly, the Dodgers aren't in a position to move arms right now. Related: Max Muncy Shares What Dodgers Need from Shohei Ohtani This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
