Flexibility Key: Dodgers to Experiment with Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May in Varied Roles
The Los Angeles Dodgers had to overcome a plethora of injuries to their starting rotation this year but are expecting to get back several key contributors for the 2025 season.
Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May both missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from respective surgeries. Gonsolin made a surprising bid to potentially pitch for the Dodgers late in the year before the team decided to look ahead to next season.
May also had a chance to return during the second half of the year, but suffered a setback when he unexpectedly needed to undergo surgery on his esophagus.
All indications are that Gonsolin and May should be ready to go for the start of Spring Training, but Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said the team will have a backup plan in the event they need more time, via Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group.
“We don’t really know how it all plays out coming off those injuries,” Gomes said, referring to May and Gonsolin. “It’s not always linear. If they come in and and they’re feeling good, great, let’s go. If we need to adjust, we will. And we know that we have a lot of options on the other side that can plug those holes.”
Even in the worst-case scenario that Gonsolin and May aren’t ready for the start of the 2025 season, the Dodgers rotation is in a lot better shape than it was two months ago.
L.A. recently signed Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million contract, giving the team a formidable one-two punch to go along with Yoshinobu Yamamoto at the top of the rotation.
The Dodgers also remain among the favorites to sign Roki Sasaki and are expected to bring back Clayton Kershaw as well.
In terms of other starting pitchers under contract, Tyler Glasnow is expected to return after missing the final two months of the 2024 season with right elbow tendinitis. Shohei Ohtani will eventually be an option as well, but presumably later in the year.
Dodgers avoided arbitration with Tony Gonsolin & Dustin May
Earlier this offseason, Gonsolin and the Dodgers came to terms on a one-year, $5.4 million contract for the 2025 season to avoid arbitration.
The Dodgers also agreed to terms with May on a one-year, $2.135 million contract for the 2025 season to avoid arbitration.
