Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Gonsolin (back) is "progressing nicely" in this throwing program, per MLB.com.

EDGE Analysis

Gonsolin was competing for a rotation spot for much of spring training, but he injured his back while lifting weights in early March and will open the season on the injured list. Meanwhile, Dustin May will begin the campaign as the Dodgers' fifth starter. Gonsolin doesn't seem to be dealing with a long-term issue, but it's unclear what his role will be upon his return. The right-hander didn't pitch in the majors at all last year while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Gonsolin (back) was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

It was previously reported that Gonsolin was expected to begin the season on the injured list due to a back issue, and the team made the move official Monday. Dustin May will hold on to the fifth starter spot until Gonsolin is back at 100 percent, at which point the club will need to make a decision on whether to deploy Gonsolin in long relief or bump May from the rotation.

Gonsolin (back) will begin the season on the injured list, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

EDGE Analysis

Gonsolin recently injured his back while lifting, and manager Dave Roberts confirmed Tuesday that the right-hander won't be ready for the regular season. Dustin May will claim the fifth spot in the Dodgers' rotation as a result, and there's no guarantee Gonsolin will automatically claim that spot once he's healthy.

Gonsolin has been dealing with a minor back injury suffered while lifting, Dodgers Territory reports.

EDGE Analysis

Skipper Dave Roberts cited the back issue as the reason Gonsolin won't have enough time to ramp all the way up in spring training. As a result, Roberts stated that Dustin May makes the most sense to open the regular season as the team's fifth starter. Gonsolin still has one minor-league option remaining, though the club would more likely elect to deploy the right-hander out of the bullpen, assuming the decision is to roll with May at the back end of the starting rotation.

Gonsolin has pitched three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out three batters, over two appearances in Cactus League play.

EDGE Analysis

Gonsolin missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he appears back to full health this spring. The right-hander was super efficient in his most recent appearance Wednesday, needing just 13 pitches -- all of which were strikes -- to retire six batters. Gonsolin is a candidate to open the regular season as the Dodgers' fifth starter.

Gonsolin is scheduled to start Friday's Cactus League game against the Cubs, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

EDGE Analysis

Gonsolin didn't pitch for the Dodgers in 2024 while spending most of the season recovering from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in September 2023, but he was cleared to make three rehab starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City this past September. Though he looked sharp at Triple-A, Gonsolin was never reinstated from the injured list during the Dodgers' run to the World Series, but that wasn't the result of him suffering any sort of setback. Despite having had a normal offseason in addition to owning a sterling 3.19 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over 375.2 career innings in the big leagues, Gonsolin will have to fight for a spot in a talent-laden Dodgers rotation that lost Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler in free agency and Gavin Stone (shoulder) to injury but became even deeper with the additions of Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki and the returns of Shohei Ohtani and Dustin May from Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers plan to open the season with a traditional five-man rotation before going to a six-man setup once Ohtani is fully stretched out for starting duty -- perhaps at some point in May -- so Gonsolin will be competing with Sasaki, May, Bobby Miller (concussion), Landon Knack and Justin Wrobleski for one of two spots. Gonsolin has a minor-league option remaining, but since he's 30 years old and has a strong track record in the majors, he would likely work out of the big-league bullpen if he misses out on a rotation spot.

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Friday that the team plans to use a five-man rotation until Shohei Ohtani (shoulder/elbow) is ready to pitch, which would seemingly leave Gonsolin and others competing for one spot, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Manager Dave Roberts recently suggested that Ohtani could be ready to make his season debut on the mound sometime in May, though there's no concrete timeline yet. The Dodgers will shift to a six-man rotation at that point, but until then they will use a traditional five-man setup. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki are locked into four of the spots, which leaves Gonsolin, Dustin May, Bobby Miller, Landon Knack, Justin Wrobleski, Ben Casparius and perhaps others competing for the final slot. Roberts said Friday that Gonsolin and May will be considered for the bullpen if they don't make the rotation.

Gonsolin agreed to a one-year, $5.4 million contract with the Dodgers on Friday to avoid arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Gonsolin missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August of 2023. He managed to begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City in September, and across three outings he allowed two earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out 12 over 7.2 innings. The 30-year-old right-hander should be available for the start of spring training.

Gonsolin (elbow) is likely to remain sidelined for the NLCS against the Mets, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Gonsolin ramped up to three innings with Triple-A Oklahoma City before the minor-league campaign ended, though he has yet to be active in the postseason. Manager Dave Roberts didn't rule him out formally, but Landon Knack looks likely to be the primary choice for long relief for the Dodgers in the NLCS.

Gonsolin (elbow) allowed just one walk over three innings while striking out six in his rehab outing with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

It was Gonsolin's third and best rehab outing as he threw as many strikeouts Saturday as he had across his first two appearances with Oklahoma City. The 30-year-old right-hander is in the final stages of his rehab program from Tommy John surgery from last September. Given his most recent outing and barring any setbacks, Gonsolin could be in the Dodgers' pitching plans for the postseason, either in the rotation or out of the bullpen.