Jason Heyward has cooled down since a hot start at the plate in spring training, but Dave Roberts remains encouraged by the veteran outfielder.confirmed Friday that Gonsolin won’t be healthy in time for opening day.An exact timeline for Gonsolin’s return is unclear. If his recovery doesn’t speed up — which seems unlikely after Roberts cautioned multiple times it will be a “slow” process — the pitcher could be in danger of missing multiple starts to begin the season.
While Gonsolin had a career regular season in 2022 — he went 16-1 with a 2.14 ERA to earn his first All-Star selection — he was one of many Dodgers who failed to perform in their abrupt postseason elimination. The frustration lingered into the start of Gonsolin’s offseason, becoming the latest in a pattern of playoff disappointments for the four-year veteran.
Asked where the randomness of Gonsolin’s ankle roll ranked among injuries he’s seen in his career, Roberts acknowledged it was “up there.” “Tony talked about finishing the race or finishing the season strong, that’s still in play,” Roberts said. “But I think, to make sure we nip this and don’t have it linger, is very important.”
After throwing two-plus scoreless innings in his Cactus League debut at the start of the month, Gonsolin felt he was making such strides.