First and foremost, I would like to apologize. I was just sitting down to write this post, and the thought in my head was about how all the Los Angeles Dodgers need to do from this point on is just stay healthy.
That was disrupted by the announcement that on Monday, the Dodgers placed right handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin on the 15-day IL, with right forearm strain. The placement is retroactive to August 26th.
In the corresponding move, Michael Grove was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Grove will start Monday’s game, which was supposed to be Gonsolin’s start.
Most fans immediately hoped that this was just another creative way for President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman to get Gonsolin some rest before the postseason. With a 19.5 game lead in the NL West, the Dodgers could afford to sit their top starter for a few weeks.
Indeed, Gonsolin has pitched more innings so far this season than he has in any previous, other than 2018. He currently sits at 128.1 innings pitched, and his high is 138.2 innings.
Gonsolin was having the best season of his pro pitching career. Even after Sandy Alcantara pitched a complete game on Sunday, allowing only one run, Gonsolin still has the best ERA in the National League, at 2.10. (Alcantara is very close, sitting at 2.13). Gonsolin is 16-1, with 116 strikeouts and a 0.86 WHIP.
However, sources within the team told L.A. Times Jack Harris that it is not a phantom injury as some have hoped, but the team believes it is not too serious. They feel they have gotten out ahead of it being severe, and that he should return to the Dodgers this season. The source also said Gonsolin felt some soreness after his between-starts bullpen, but reiterated they felt they got ahead of things.
The Dodgers did not get any starters at the trade deadline, believing that Walker Buehler, Dustin May, and Clayton Kershaw would all return.
Buehler will not return until 2024 after needing his second Tommy John surgery. May has looked dominant in his two starts since returning, and Kershaw is set to return to the starting rotation at the end of this week.
If the playoffs started today, the Dodgers rotation would be Julio Urías, May, and Tyler Anderson. Kershaw would be included if he ends the season healthy, and we have yet to see how Andrew Heaney would figure in there as well. The Dodgers may have to really rely on their bullpen, and offense, to get them through the playoffs more-so than other seasons.
But that is to be decided upon in October. For now, they just need to stay healthy. Fingers crossed.
Think Blue Planning Committee 
This is why they say winning the World Series is a crapshoot. Every team suffers injuries throughout the season, but the best team doesn’t always win because the timing of those injuries often has a hand in determining the outcome. That plus the fact that any team can get hot for a short period of time.
This is not a good thing but, assuming Catman actually makes it back for the playoffs, it’s a lot better than having it happen to him the last week of September.
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A dodger source told Harris? And we believe that? Usually the source says ” we need to give him some rest going into the post season so we are faking this phantom Injury.” I guess it’s true then. Lol just looking up recovery time for ” phantom injury”
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This is too bad. He will not get enough innings to qualify for the ERA title now. This will also hurt his chances for the NL Cy Young. Of course his health is most important followed by being available for the post season. Still it’s not like he has been over worked.
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With Catman’s amount of innings this could be a great intermission for him to arrive fresh for the playoffs. Excited to see Grove as his addition to the 40 man roster was a surprise to many of us.
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I still think the Dodgers baby their pitchers today starting when they enter the minors. Don Sutton pitched 225 innings as a 21 year old rookie and proceeded to exceed 200 innings per season 20 times in his 23 year career. The Dodgers probably will not have a pitcher even reach 190 innings this year.
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