Dodgers Notes: Knack & Sauer Roles for Weekend, Gonsolin Will Start on Sunday, Edman Return Close, Update on Sheehan
PHOENIX— The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their season-long ten-game road trip yesterday, dropping Game One of four against their National League West rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks; however, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gave us plenty of updates prior to yesterday’s game.
Knack & Sauer will Hang Around this Weekend
Dodgers right-handed pitcher Landon Knack and Matt Sauer are staying with the big league club during this weekend series in the desert, according to Roberts. Roberts stated that both arms will be available out of the bullpen over the weekend during Dustin May’s start on Saturday and Tony Gonsolin’s start on Sunday.
The duo combined for nine innings in the Dodgers’ 10-1 victory over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, helping alleviate the workload on an already overused Dodgers’ bullpen. After this series and the return of lefty Clayton Kershaw and Evan Phillips on the horizon, their status on the 26-man roster is uncertain.
Sauer, 26, has made the most of his opportunity since joining the Dodgers. He has allowed two runs over 10.2 innings, which is good for an elite 1.69 ERA.
Gonsolin Will Start on Four Days’ Rest on Sunday
Right-handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin will also start on regular four-day rest for Sunday’s series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks, rather than the Dodgers playing another bullpen game on this road trip.
Dave Roberts has managed to keep each starter in the rotation to pitch once per week, taking advantage of the scheduled off days sprinkled throughout April. However, with the Dodgers playing ten games in ten days, the team needed to revert to a traditional rest between starts.
Gonsolin, 30, just returned from the 15-day injured list with a back injury suffered in spring training. In two starts, the Cat Man has a 4.09 ERA in eleven innings pitched, but has got the strikeout pitch working, punching out seventeen batters this season so far.
The Dodgers’ starting rotation will be strengthened over the next two weeks, with the highly anticipated return of veteran left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw on May 18th.
Edman Progressing Toward Return
Dodgers super utilityman Tommy Edman is progressing well in the recovery from reaggravating his ankle injury from last season in last Tuesday’s win over the Miami Marlins and should be ready to go on the Dodgers’ next homestand.
Edman, 30, was off to a career-year slashing .252/.295/.523 with an .818 OPS and eight home runs this season before the injury.
Dave Roberts confirmed that Edman had returned to baseball activities including running and took live at-bats against Dodgers righting-handed pitcher Emmet Sheehan in Arizona yesterday.
The Dodgers opted not to activate Edman during their four-game series against the Diamondbacks due to the artificial turf playing surface, which has historically been unkind to injured players.
In Edman’s place, Dodgers Korean utilityman Hyeseong Kim has made the most of his brief opportunity, with a .313 batting average, two RBIs, and two stolen bases while playing second base and center field. However, Kim did go 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in yesterday’s loss.
Sheehan “Getting Closer” to Rehab Assignment
Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher Emmet Sheehan is close to starting a minor league rehab assignment according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts yesterday.
Sheehan was the pitcher facing utilityman Tommy Edman in Arizona yesterday in a session where the righty tossed forty pitches.
Sheehan, 25, missed all of last season after having UCL surgery and is expected to return at some point this season, possibly after the all-star break.
Roberts did state that Sheehan will be building him up as a starting pitcher, and once he begins a rehab assignment, he’ll likely need months of starts before any activation.
Sheehan had a 4.92 ERA in 60.1 innings for the Dodgers during the 2023 season, where the righty mixed between the starting rotation and bullpen and was in the running for the fifth spot in the Dodgers rotation last spring before his injury.
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