LOS ANGELES — For the primary time in a protracted whereas, the Rej3ctz’s “Cat Daddy” blared over the Dodger Stadium audio system within the minutes main as much as first pitch. It was a certain signal that the Cat Man, in any other case often called Tony Gonsolin, was again.
Gonsolin tossed a top quality begin in his first Main League look since Aug. 18, 2023, in Wednesday afternoon’s 12-7 victory over the Marlins, permitting three runs on six hits throughout six innings and incomes the win because the Dodgers rolled to a three-game sweep.
Aside from surrendering a two-run homer and an RBI double to the Marlins’ Kyle Stowers, Gonsolin regarded sharp as he struck out 9 hitters — every adopted by a collection of meows over the loudspeakers — with out issuing a stroll. He generated 17 whiffs, his most in a sport since 2022.
After lacking your entire 2024 season whereas recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure, Gonsolin was a number one candidate to earn the fifth spot within the Dodgers’ rotation out of Spring Coaching. However he harm his again within the weight room towards the top of Spring Coaching and as an alternative started the season on the 15-day injured checklist.
“I used to be in a very great place. … After which to have one thing like that, non-baseball-related, actually sucked, truthfully,” Gonsolin stated final month. “I do not actually have every other phrases for it. However once more, it is a minor setback, and I am going to attempt to take this time to construct again up and get into a fair higher place.”
The Dodgers aren’t viewing Gonsolin as your typical pitcher coming off Tommy John surgical procedure. He had practically accomplished his rehab by the top of final season, to the purpose the place he might have been an emergency possibility within the 2024 postseason had Los Angeles’ injury-ravaged rotation taken one other hit.
Alongside these strains, Gonsolin’s return couldn’t have come at a greater time for the 2025 Dodgers. Two members of their Opening Day rotation, left-hander Blake Snell and right-hander Tyler Glasnow, are sidelined with shoulder irritation of their throwing arms, with indefinite timelines to return.
Gonsolin provides the Dodgers 4 wholesome beginning pitchers on the energetic roster, and it is going to be all palms on deck because the workforce items collectively 10 video games in as many days on the upcoming three-city highway journey by way of Atlanta, Miami and Phoenix.
“It is big,” supervisor Dave Roberts stated of Gonsolin’s return. “There’s been a whole lot of speak of how large our bullpen has been. Working example final night time, what Matt Sauer did, and so we have to have starters earn the chance to go deeper in video games. And I simply assume Tony is that.”
