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View Winners → Sports Aug 29, 2022
Pitcher Tony Gonsolin. | Photo courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors
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The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Tony Gonsolin on the injured list Monday due to a right forearm strain, hours before he was scheduled to pitch against the Miami Marlins and attempt to become Major League Baseball’s first 17-game winner of 2022.
The Dodgers recalled fellow right-hander Michael Grove from the Oklahoma City Triple-A affiliate to replace Gonsolin. He will start in Gonsolin’s place Monday when the Dodgers conclude a four-game series against the Marlins in Miami.
The move is retroactive to Friday. Gonsolin last pitched Tuesday, allowing one run and three hits over five innings in a 10-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. This is the first time this season Gonsolin has been placed on the injured list and third time in his career. He was placed on the injured list twice in 2021.
Gonsolin (16-1) shares the major league lead in victories with Houston’s Justin Verlander and Atlanta’s Kyle Wright. Gonsolin is also tied for first with Verlander and Tampa Bay Rays’ left-hander Shane McClanahan in fewest walks and hits per inning pitched, 0.86. His 2.10 ERA is second in MLB behind Verlander’s 1.84.
Grove has no decisions and a 5.79 ERA in two appearances with the Dodgers in 2022, including one start. He is 0-3 with a 3.71 ERA in 12 games and 10 starts with Oklahoma City and 1-13 with a 5.83 ERA in three seasons in the minors after being chosen in the second round of the 2018 MLB draft out of West Virginia University.
Fellow right-hander Pablo Lopez (8-8) will pitch for Miami. Lopez was selected as the National League Pitcher of the Month for April when he was 3-0 with a 0.39 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings.
Lopez pitched six scoreless innings in his most recent start, allowing four hits, in a 5-3 victory over Oakland Tuesday.
Both of Lopez’s appearances against the Dodgers were in 2021, when he was 1-0 with 2.45 ERA in 11 innings in two starts.
The Dodgers defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-4, in Grove’s lone major league start, in which he allowed four runs, all unearned, and four hits in 3 2/3 innings and trailed 4-1 when he was relieved. The Marlins are 13-12 in Lopez’s 25 starts.
Dodger manager Dave Roberts said Sunday he would give outfielder Mookie Betts the day off Monday “just to get ready for the next couple series” when the Dodgers face the New York Mets, in a matchup of the teams with the NL’s two best records, and San Diego Padres.
“Four days on the turf isn’t ideal,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers (88-38) have a 7 1/2-game lead over the Mets and Houston, both 82-47, in the race for home-field advantage throughout the postseason. They have won 43 of their 53 games since June 29, including 20 of 25 in August.
The Dodgers have scored a major league-high 683 runs and allowed a major league-low 398.
Miami (55-72) is 27th among the 30 MLB teams in runs with 463.
The game is set to begin at 3:40 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time and will be televised by SportsNet LA.
Betts hit Sunday’s third pitch for his fourth home run in three games and 31st of the season and drove in a second run with a sixth-inning single in an 8-1 victory. Julio Urías and three relievers limited the Marlins to two hits.
