A pair of former Los Angeles Dodgers players have new homes in MLB after remaining on the fringes of the league.
Former All-Star Tony Gonsolin signed with the Kansas City Royals, getting a major league deal for 2026 and a team option for 2027 if the team likes what they see from him.
He was a key cog for the Dodgers from 2019 to 2022, posting a 2.51 ERA; while underlying metrics pointed to some luck, his ability to consistently outperform them made him valuable.
At the end of the season, the Dodgers designated him for assignment, and he entered free agency, though he only recently signed.
Also, Brent Honeywell Jr., who had a moment in the 2024 World Series, signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres, hoping to get back to the major leagues.
In 2024, he posted a solid 2.63 ERA in 37.2 innings and earned a shot on the postseason roster.
He pitched 8.2 innings and gave up nine runs in the postseason, including five runs in Game 4 of the World Series, but Honeywell was celebrated for eating innings and keeping the high-leverage arms rested
Honeywell did not pitch in 2025, and despite signing a non-roster deal during the 2026 spring training period, his work in the minor leagues will be his first time pitching in two years.
Why did the Dodgers not keep Gonsolin or Honeywell?
For Gonsolin, injuries have been the main obstacle, including a left ankle sprain and a forearm injury in 2023 that eventually led to Tommy John surgery.
Gonsolin missed the whole 2024 season and hoped to get back on track, but he injured his back in 2025, returned in April to make seven starts and post a 5.00 ERA, then went down again for a second elbow procedure.
Health is a major concern, and for a Dodgers organization with a ton of depth and Gonsolin lacking any more option years, they elected to use that spot on a younger arm .
Meanwhile, Honeywell was always a fringe arm, and he also has a good deal of injury concerns. With a roster crunch happening every year, the Dodgers valued roster flexibility.
