Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tony Gonsolin (29) will eventually undergo Tommy John surgery. The possibility of missing the entire season until next year has increased. Enduring the pain because of incentives and throwing it caused even greater anger. 안전놀이터
The US’LA Times’ reported on the 30th (Korean time) that Gonsolin will undergo Tommy John surgery on the 2nd of next month due to a ruptured medial collateral ligament (UCL) in his elbow, and will miss the entire 2024 season due to this.
On the 19th, Gonsolin was placed on the injured list with inflammation in his right forearm the day after his career-worst pitching against the Miami Marlins, with 8 hits (5 homers), 4 walks, 2 strikeouts and 10 runs lost in 3⅓ innings. Afterwards, the Dodgers underwent an MRI scan, which reconfirmed the elbow ligament damage.
“We knew Gonsolin had elbow problems, but we thought he could throw well enough,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He talked to doctors and felt it was time. He announced the news of the surgery, saying, “It was inevitable one day.
Gonsolin spent 24 games (130⅓ innings) last year, 16 wins and 1 loss with an average ERA of 2.14, and had a career high season. However, he missed the last five weeks of the season due to a forearm sprain in mid-August. This year, his performance dropped to 20 games (103 innings) with an ERA of 4.98, 8 wins and 5 losses, but arm pain was the cause of the decline. His average four-seam fastball velocity also fell from 93.1 mph last year to 92.4 mph this year, and Gonsolin said pain made command more difficult. His walks per 9 innings increased from 2.4 last year to 3.5 this year.
Then why did Gonsolin endure the pain and throw it? Manager Roberts said, “The medical team was confident that if Gonsolin continued to pitch, there would be no further damage. Most pitchers throw with some damage or rupture. He hasn’t torn any more ligaments now, and he’s still able to pitch, but he hasn’t been productive.”
It is said that it is a level of injury that can be tolerated, but there was a bigger reason. The LA Times pointed out that “there was a significant financial incentive for Gonsolin, who signed a two-year contract for $6.65 million last winter without an annual salary adjustment, to continue pitching amidst the inconvenience,” and pointed out that the 2023 option will be raised in 2024 depending on the fulfillment of the option.
Gonsolin has an incentive of $500,000 for 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, and 28 points this year, one point for each start and one point for each relief appearance in 3⅓ or more innings. It is a condition that can raise up to $3 million, but Gonsolin, who scored 20 points in 20 starts this year, secured an additional $2 million increase, greatly increasing next year’s salary from $3.4 million to $5.4 million.
Manager Roberts said, “I think it was the motivation that Gonsolin kept throwing. He admits that he can sympathize and understand from the player’s point of view,” and said, “We had a sincere conversation with Gonsolin, announcing that there was a possibility of surgery in the future. Gonsolin wanted to keep pitching, and so did our pitching staff. Gonsolin’s heart was grateful, and he continued pitching like that. At some point, I said that this was enough, and we all agreed.”
The Dodgers team and Gonsolin himself knew that it was an operation that would have to be done someday. The Dodgers, who lost starting resources such as Dustin May, Julio Urias, Noah Syndergaard, Ryan Peppiot, and Michael Grove due to line injuries until the beginning and middle of the season, also needed more solline due to team circumstances, and he also endured pain and filled 20 game incentives got on the operating table. Thanks to this, the annual salary increased significantly next year, but the bad news of blowing the entire season was unavoidable.