The Dodgers’ best pitcher during the first half of the season won’t pitch in their first series of the second half.
Tony Gonsolin, who raced out to an 11-0 start before taking the loss for the National League in Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium, won’t start against the San Francisco Giants in their four-game home series.
Clayton Kershaw, who pitched a scoreless first inning in the All-Star Game, will start Sunday’s series finale instead.
Manager Dave Roberts said the decision between Kershaw and Gonsolin rested on a difference in the pitchers’ first-half workload. Kershaw was limited to 71⅔ innings and 12 starts because of a lower-back injury. Gonsolin pitched 93⅔ innings across 17 starts.
Last season, Gonsolin pitched 72⅓ innings between the regular season and postseason, majors and minors included. The most innings he’s thrown in a professional season were 128, in 2018.
“If we could just give him an extra day, that would be good,” Roberts said.
Left-hander Tyler Anderson will start Friday’s game against Giants right-hander Logan Webb. Left-hander Julio Urias will start Saturday opposite Giants lefty Alex Wood. The Giants will send right-hander Alex Cobb to the mound Sunday opposite Kershaw.
REHAB UPDATES
Right-hander Dustin May and left-hander Andrew Heaney are inching closer to their next major league starts.
May will start Friday night for Triple-A Oklahoma City in their home game against Sacramento – coincidentally, a Giants affiliate. It will be May’s first start against full-season minor league competition since he suffered a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in May 2021.
Roberts said May will be limited to three innings. The 24-year-old threw two scoreless innings for the Arizona Complex League Dodgers on July 16, striking out three batters and walking none.
May is still a possibility to return to the Dodgers’ rotation in the middle of August.
Heaney, on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, threw four innings Thursday night for the Dodgers’ Arizona Complex League affiliate. He allowed two solo home runs and three singles (five hits total) while striking out seven without a walk. It was his second minor league rehab start since he returned to the injured list on June 24.
Heaney allowed four runs in 2⅔ innings in a rehab game with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on July 16 and extended his rehab assignment thereafter.
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Roberts said that Brusdar Graterol (right shoulder inflammation) and Walker Buehler (right forearm strain) have yet to begin throwing programs.
Reliever Blake Treinen (shoulder) threw a bullpen on Thursday, Roberts said.
Outfielder Chris Taylor (left foot fracture) hasn’t been cleared to resume running, but has been swinging a bat through the All-Star break, Roberts said.
UP NEXT
San Francisco (RHP Logan Webb, 9-3, 2.83 ERA) at Dodgers (LHP Tyler Anderson, 10-1, 2.96 ERA), Friday, 7 p.m., SportsNet LA, MLB Network, 570 AM