Steve Webb
ST. LOUIS — The Cat Man is back. Before Thursday’s series finale with St. Louis, the Dodgers will activate pitcher Tony Gonsolin (2-1, 2.78 ERA) from the 10-day injured list. The righty has been out since late July due to right shoulder inflammation.
“He will be taking the bulk of (Thursday’s) game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Wednesday. “With the guys we have in the pen, I think three (innings) and 45 (pitches), three and 50 is fair.”
Roberts originally planned to start Julio Urias in the series finale, but the opted to move the left-hander to a Friday start against the Padres instead, setting up the Dodgers’ three best active pitches for the San Diego Series. As it sits now, Julio will take the Friday start, Walker Buehler will throw Saturday, and Max Scherzer will toe the rubber on Sunday with a chance at his 3,000th career strikeout.
As for Gonsolin, Doc wanted him to get back into the Dodgers’ rotation as soon as possible. “We just felt that we wanted to get Tony back on line,” he explained. “If you look out at planning out the rest of the season, it just made sense for us. And there was really no cost.”
Gonsolin started for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on a rehab assignment Saturday, working 2 1/3 innings and 41 pitches while allowing one run on three hits.
He rejoined the Dodgers, enjoyed a successful bullpen session and got the green light to return. Roberts hopes Gonsolin can settle into the rotation for the stretch run. “The expected thing is he’ll just slot into that starter’s role and pitch every fifth or sixth day,” the manager said.
And with Clayton coming back early next week, the Dodgers will be at full strength in the rotation for the first time in a good long while. Until the offense figures things out, pitching is going to have to carry this club. Gonsolin and Kershaw help to make that happen.
