Another Dodgers Starting Pitcher is ‘Very Unlikely’ to Return From Latest Injury in 2024
The Dodgers were counting on seeing their starting rotation return to full strength, or close to it at least, in September as they geared up for a postseason run.
Instead, the revolving-door injured list carousel continues to turn.
Now, they are facing an immediate future without their most consistent starter all year.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters Wednesday in Miami that Gavin Stone is “very unlikely” to return from the injured list. The right-hander still hasn’t been able to throw since he was placed on the 15-day IL because of soreness in his right shoulder.
Stone, 25, was in the running to collect downballot rookie of the year votes after getting off to a hot start in his first full season starting for the Dodgers.
After making the team’s season-opening rotation out of spring training, Stone went 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA in a team-leading 25 starts and 140.1 innings.
On June 26, Stone authored what remains the only complete game shutout by a Dodgers pitcher in 2024, allowing only four hits, no walks and striking out seven.
But Stone struggled in his latest outing, a five-inning start in Arizona on Aug. 31 in which he allowed five hits and five runs in an 8-6 Dodgers win. Six days later, Stone was retroactively placed on the 15-day injured list.
Last Friday, Roberts said Stone would begin a throwing program this weekend. Unfortunately, his shoulder wouldn’t allow it.
The timing of the injury always made Stone’s return this season far from certain, but Wednesday’s news effectively confirms the Dodgers must move forward without him in their rotation.
Kershaw Takes Step Forward
Veteran Clayton Kershaw seems like a better bet to pitch games for the Dodgers in October after the left-hander threw a full bullpen session Wednesday in Miami.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner has been dealing with a bone spur in his left big toe. He missed the entire first half of the season recovering from offseason surgery on the glenohumeral ligaments in his left shoulder. In seven starts, he’s 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in seven starts.
Kershaw would add a veteran presence to a rotation that currently includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, Landon Knack and Walker Buehler.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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Another regular commentor here, maybe @OhioDodger ?, often mentions something about the training program for the organization that lends itself to pitching injuries. We all knew Glasnow was a risk, wonderful when healthy, but not as durable as we need for a late season and playoff push. That said, this news about Stone is not good and further places a strong playoff push even more in doubt. Knack looked solid last night, but I also read yesterday that 4 of 6 starters in double A Tulsa are out with major arm surgery/rehab of one type or another. That kind of shines a light even more brightly on just what the entire organization is doing with its pitchers. This is way too prevalent to be bad luck or coincidence.
Well, here we are: Glasnow and Stone gone; Buehler looking lost and Miller completely lost; no confidence in Kersh and Kelly; a fragile Yamamoto, very questionable and untested Gonsolin, and a bandaged Banda; the rookie Knack and two guys I barely heard of, Flaherty and Kopech, when the season started, will carry our hopes and dreams into the post season (would the organization really throw Ohtani!!??)! Treinen, Phillips, Graterol and Vesia are the best in the pen but could all get used in one game, then what! This is not the way this was supposed to go down, but I guess that we’ve come down to earth with a resounding thud! All this puts a tremendous burden on our offense. Ohtani, Mookie, Teoscar and Freddy REALLY need to bring it …and even if they do, my hunch is playoff games will be decided by production (or not) from Edman, Smith, Muncy and Rojas. That leaves Pages, Lux, Kiki and CT3 plus Kiermaier all of whom will play a role…will they succeed? Who knows, it’s baseball! This I do know: I’ve been a Dodgers guy since third grade (1959) in Long Beach now living outside the DC beltway and like Tommy, I bleed Dodger Blue. I’ve never liked either the Giants or the Yankees (though I respect them both), and I neither like nor respect the Astros (I will always like and respect Dusty Baker). Finally, though I hate to admit it, this year’s Phillies and Padres scare me a bit! Bottom line: Let’s win this division, go on into the playoffs and kick some ass!
Well there goes the season yye pitching will pet us down again how competitive can we be with this sorry rotation we have
There should be an investigation into why the Dodgers have had so many pitching injuries the last two years. I think they would be found to rank #1 in days missed by pitchers due to injury both years (if anyone kept track of that statistic). The best ability is availability. Next year they might have a glut of pitchers coming back from injury, but maybe they need to consider signing Burnes, Fried or someone like that. Glasnow, Yamamoto, Kershaw (?) Gavin Stone, Dustin May, Gonsolin, Ohtaini, River Ryan (2006?), Kyle Hurt (after All-Star break), Nick Frasso, Bobby Miller, all injured currently or during the 2024 season or returning from Tommy John surgery. Landon Knack might be the only one on the 2024 starting staff who was not significantly injured or returning from Tommy John surgery (and Flaherty, uninjured). Maybe they have to consider signing Flaherty. Buehler might be resigned but he is in the category of returning from Tommy John surgery in 2024. I can’t recall any pitching staff with this many significant injuries. Nothing close to this, except for 2023. Who is keeping this statistic? There should be a reference guide for this.
As John Madden used to say, and I’m paraphrasing, if the same thing happens over and over, it is more than a coincidence. The Dodgers way of training young pitchers is not working. I agree with Mike H, but until the Dodgers change their philosophy, they will continue to give credence to John Madden’s philosophy.