LA Dodgers Shutting Down Pitcher For The Season

Just when things were rolling along at an unbridled pace, the Los Angeles Dodgers have hit a big bump in the road Friday night in the form of another disastrous performance from 2022 All-Star Tony Gonsolin. Now it appears that he's done for the rest of the season, placed on the IL with an elbow injury.

Dave Roberts announced that Tony Gonsolin will be placed on the injured list with an elbow injury, and is "unlikely" to return this year. pic.twitter.com/xbaxeWgrdH
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 19, 2023

Gonsolin has been struggling mightily recently, posting an 8.17 ERA in his last five starts. He's essentially been pitching at less than 100% for the last four to six weeks, said manager Dave Roberts. Now it's apparent that an elbow injury has been the cause.

The last straw was Friday night's start, which turned out to be the worst of Gonsolin's career, in which he allowed five home runs and 10 earned runs in 3.1 innings.

Roberts has admitted that it is "unlikely" that the 29-year-old hurler will return this season.

With the Gonsolin move to the IL, rookie RHP Ryan Pepiot, who’s been out since spring training with an oblique injury, will be called up, though he'll likely be a bulk-innings guy out of the bullpen to make his season debut, with the hope that he shows enough to be worthy of a starting role (which he expected to have out of spring training before his injury).

Photo: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports