Gavin Stone Named Dodgers’ Fifth Starter After Outstanding Effort in Seoul
Dodgers pitcher Gavin Stone told reporters, including Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain, that he will begin the season in the Dodgers’ rotation.
The decision to make Stone the Dodgers’ number-5 starter puts to rest one of the team’s few remaining preseason roster decisions. He’ll join a rotation led by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller and James Paxton.
Stone’s inclusion in the rotation comes as little surprise. In his final preseason tuneup Monday, the right-hander struck out eight batters across 3.1 hitless innings against the All-Star team Monday at Gocheok Sky Dome.
In four spring games (three starts), Stone allowed only five hits and one run across 9.2 innings. He effectively beat out Michael Grove, who figures to slot into a bullpen role, and Walker Buehler, who will begin the season on the injured list, for the final rotation job.
During Monday’s game broadcast on SportsNet LA, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes spoke at length about Stone’s breakout camp.
“He has come out and is in a really good spot right now. This was the command of the fastball we saw two years ago that was a little bit missing last year. He’s added a true cutter and a slider to open up the arsenal as well. The velocity is back to what it was and he’s moving the ball around like a big leaguer as well.”
— Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes on pitcher Gavin Stone, via SportsNet LA
Stone, 25, got his first taste of the major leagues last year and fared poorly, allowing 32 runs (31 earned) in 31 innings. Besides the limiting nature of his pitch mix, Stone was set back by a blister on right big toe, limiting his ability to push off the rubber.
This spring, Stone has looked more like the pitcher who rapidly rose the team’s depth chart in 2021 to become a bona fide major league prospect. The Dodgers won’t technically need a fifth starter until April 1, a home game against the Giants, so the news Monday was effectively ceremonial.
Still, it’s a nice honor for Stone, and a hearty endorsement of his bounceback spring campaign.
Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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