Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: Tony Gonsolin Discusses First Spring Start, Bullpen Possibility

The Dodgers finally got their first game of the Cactus League in on Saturday after a long rain delay set things back. Tony Gonsolin got the ball to start the season off, and talked with media on how it went after his outing.



Gonsolin went one inning and produced a long fly ball to center, a groundout to second, and a fly ball to get through a flawless inning for the Dodgers. While Gonolsin wouldn’t mind being in the bullpen to start Opening Day, it’s obvious he prefers to be in the rotation. When asked if it would be disappointing to start the season at the minor leagues.

I mean yeah, I would love to be a big league starter and get my first Opening Day in and start every fifth day.

While he would like to be a starter, Gonsolin knows that his stuff could potentially play up in the bullpen. He also is quick to say that wherever the team needs him, he is more than willing to play.

Potentially yeah I would like to use everything and be a four pitch guy…Ideally it plays up, but you never really know…I just want the opportunity to help the team out. If they see me long term as a starter, it might be better off to start in Triple-A.

Gonsolin appeared in eleven games last season, six of which were as a starter. In those six games, Gonsolin allowed nine earned runs in twenty-eight innings and struck out twenty-four.

In relief, Gonsolin tossed twelve innings and allowed four earned runs for the Dodgers. While his stuff could potentially be a late-inning threat this season, his early stats certainly mirror his desire to be in the starting rotation.

It should be an interesting battle in camp, as Dave Roberts has already named Julio Urias as the fourth starter should he stay healthy. That leaves one spot for six potential candidates to battle it out in the Dodgers’ rotation.

One Comment

  1. They will probably rotate 3-4 pitchers in to the 4,5&6 spots in the rotation meaning they’ll have 7 starters and keep them all fresh. The old school philosophy of 5 starters is gone on this team. I bet they haven’t started they same 5 guys 3 times through the rotation more than a handful of times each yr for the past 3 yrs.

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