The Los Angeles Dodgers could face some tough decisions when Shohei Ohtani makes his long-anticipated pitching debut for the team. It could make some arms currently on the team expendable.
Ohtani won National League MVP without throwing a single pitch last season. However, he recently threw three simulated innings and manager Dave Roberts revealed that there is a chance Ohtani joins the rotation before the All-Star break. The Dodgers’ rotation is currently far from their preferred group, but eventually, all of their arms should be back.
Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Rōki Sasaki are all on the injured list. When everyone is healthy, the Dodgers figure to have Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Sasaki, Snell, Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw in the rotation. They have depth as well with pitchers like Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Landon Knack and Emmet Sheehan. With so many pitchers, the Dodgers may use some as trade bait when they add Ohtani to the rotation, and others start to return. FanSided’s Zach Pressnell suggested the team could trade Gonsolin.
Among the Dodgers’ best eight or 10 starting pitchers, when everybody is healthy, Gonsolin might be at the bottom of the list,” wrote Pressnell. “This isn’t a bad thing because the Dodgers have four or five potential Cy Young winners on their roster, when everybody is healthy. With Ohtani returning, Gonsolin (who’s currently on the injured list) could be on the hot seat. The Dodgers may try to shift him to the bullpen, but there’s also a chance Los Angeles could use him in a trade if its pitching rotation can get healthy. Returning Ohtani is step one to getting fully healthy. It could also be step one to sending Gonsolin out the door this season.”
Gonsolin was an All-Star back in 2022. He had a 2.14 ERA and went 16-1 in 24 games. However, he has since dealt with some injuries and has a 5.00 ERA in seven starts this year. Getting Ohtani back won’t directly lead to Gonsolin’s role on the team changing. However, if Ohtani, Glasnow, Snell and Sasaki all return, Gonsolin could be valuable trade bait.
The reality is, the Dodgers’ rotation has shown no ability to stay healthy. Trading Gonsolin would be a risky move for most teams, but the Dodgers have no shortage of arms they can lean on as depth. Sheehan has made three rehab starts and has a 1.13 ERA. He could easily serve as a depth option if the team cuts ties with Gonsolin.
Gonsolin’s job would be safer if the Dodgers did not utilize Ohtani as a pitcher. However, he has a 3.01 career ERA, and it would be hard to justify keeping him out of the rotation. He is a generational player and is genuinely a better option than Gonsolin in the rotation.
