Tony Gonsolin has mixed results in Dodgers return, leaving playoff status up in air

Whenever you’ve received 110 video games, while you’ve cruised alongside the Nationwide League West highway to a division title with out even a look within the rearview mirror, you may afford to experiment a little bit.

And Monday evening’s 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium all however was a glorified reside batting follow session for Tony Gonsolin, the Dodgers’ All-Star right-hander coming back from a forearm pressure that had stored him out of the rotation since Aug. 23.

However squint laborious sufficient and there have been playoff stakes. A robust few innings for Gonsolin meant comfortably locking in a man with a 2.14 earned-run common as a Recreation 3 or 4 starter for the NL Division Collection. A shaky begin meant reevaluating — maybe tossing left-hander Andrew Heaney into the combination or piecing collectively a bullpen sport.

“It’d be a giant confidence increase,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated earlier than the sport concerning the consolation a robust outing from Gonsolin would convey. “Not just for myself however for Tony.”

Contemplate that confidence in query.

Gonsolin threw simply two innings Monday, one clear and one messy throughout 40 pitches. Roberts stated earlier than the sport that the Dodgers primarily could be evaluating Gonsolin’s velocity, slider and splitter as he labored again from an extended stint on the injured record.

“If we are able to get by three innings and he comes out of it feeling good, I feel we are able to get to the subsequent step,” Roberts stated.

The report card:

Velocity — good as new however with spotty command. Gonsolin shortly ramped up his fastball to his season common of 93mph. After a breezy first inning, although, Colorado’s Elias Díaz and Sean Bouchard lined a single and double, respectively, off Gonsolin four-seamers.

Slider — meh. It has been Gonsolin’s simplest pitch all season by way of on-base-plus-slugging share allowed, however he had bother finding it. His one run given up got here off a second-inning slider that the Rockies’ Alan Trejo punched into proper subject for an RBI single.

Splitter — quiet at first, then dynamite. Confronted with a first-and-third jam within the second inning after Trejo’s single, Gonsolin struck out Ezequiel Tovar and Michael Toglia on splitters to flee.

Work out the grade-point common and it was a promising-at-times effort that fell barely wanting Roberts’ objective.

“Simply comes right down to executing pitches, and I really feel like I didn’t do an awesome job of that,” Gonsolin stated.

Nonetheless, Gonsolin stated with development he would really feel snug throwing extra innings in a playoff sport.

Roberts stated afterward that if Gonsolin throws effectively in a simulated sport Sunday, he might see the starter going 4 innings in an NLDS begin.

After Gonsolin left the sport, seven Dodgers relievers obtained a glance earlier than the ninth inning, holding the rating at 1-1 after Trayce Thompson hit a solo homer within the third inning for the Dodgers.

Level made: If the Dodgers are pressured right into a bullpen sport come mid-October, the cavalry is prepared and in a position.

“It could be distinctive to not have extra outlined roles, particularly main into the postseason,” right-hander Evan Phillips stated earlier than the sport. “However we’ve confirmed that we are able to do it this manner.”

Confirmed simply fantastic — till the bullpen gate opens for the ninth inning. The inning has been a thorn within the Dodgers’ facet all season and hasn’t been solved just because Craig Kimbrel was demoted from the nearer’s function. Roberts turned to Brusdar Graterol, who notched a save Saturday, for the ultimate inning and was burned as Graterol surrendered an RBI single to Toglia to place the Rockies forward 2-1.

Within the backside of the ninth, Freddie Freeman practically received the sport with a deep drive to proper subject after Trea Turner singled. However Colorado’s Randal Grichuk tracked it down on the wall.

“Whenever you’re sniffing the end line of the common season, that little edge won’t be fairly as automated,” Roberts stated of the staff’s current offensive struggles.

The end result, in the end, was of little significance. Stakes for a pitching plan come the postseason, nonetheless, have been set.

Dave Roberts involved about Chris Taylor’s damage

The Dodgers might enter postseason play with no key playoff hero of years previous. Outfielder Chris Taylor was out of the lineup for a 3rd consecutive day after neck tightness endured to the purpose that Roberts informed reporters “it’s stiff, it hurts, it’s sore swinging the bat.”

Added the supervisor: “Whenever you’re speaking concerning the neck, there’s a number of issues it’s important to be dynamic as a baseball participant. I’m involved.”

Involved sufficient that Roberts didn’t mince phrases concerning the chance Taylor received’t be wholesome by the point the NLDS rolls round subsequent week.

“I’m nonetheless hopeful,” Roberts stated. “However to say it’s not a chance [he’s not healthy], I don’t suppose it might be sincere.”

Nearly precisely a 12 months in the past, Taylor was coping with the same neck situation because the Dodgers ready to go into October, lacking a stretch of video games. His manufacturing cratered that September, as he ended the month six for 52. He has slumped equally of late, mired in a three-for-30 stretch earlier than a three-for-four sport Sept. 30.

On the entire, it’s been his worst season in a Dodgers uniform, as he has slashed simply .221/.304/.373.

Taylor obtained a cortisone shot Monday morning, Roberts stated, and the supervisor nonetheless hoped Taylor would play Wednesday within the Dodgers’ remaining regular-season sport towards Colorado.

Blake Treinen, in the meantime, had a productive bullpen session, Roberts stated. The reliever has missed a lot of this season due to shoulder points, but when he’s in a position to ramp as much as dealing with hitters sooner fairly than later, there’s a slim probability he might issue right into a crowded Dodgers bullpen come the postseason.