The Los Angeles Dodgers have sustained yet another injury to a member of the rotation. This time, 25-year-old rookie right-hander Gavin Stone has landed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. At the same time, the Dodgers optioned right-hander Michael Petersen back to Triple-A and recalled left-hander Justin Wrobleski and right-hander Landon Knack.
According to lead executive Andrew Friedman, it's not certain that Stone will be able to pitch again in 2024. "There is just so much unknown around it," Friedman told reporters, including David Vassegh, of Stone's shoulder injury.
Stone this season has been a useful presence in the battered Dodger rotation. Across 25 starts and 140 1/3 innings in 2024, Stone has pitched to a 3.53 ERA (112 ERA+) with an FIP of 4.03. The former fifth-rounder was a semi-regular presence on overall top-100 prospects lists while coming up through the Dodgers' system.
Stone's trip to the IL now leaves the Dodgers with three healthy starting pitchers – deadline addition Jack Flaherty, right-hander Walker Buehler (5.67 ERA in 12 starts this season, and right-hander Bobby Miller. On the IL, Stone joins a full rotation of injured starters and then some: Tyler Glasnow (elbow), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (rotator cuff), Clayton Kershaw (toe), Dustin May (flexor tendon surgery), Tony Gonsolin (Tommy John surgery), Emmet Sheehan (Tommy John surgery), and River Ryan (Tommy John surgery).
The consoling knowledge is that Yamamoto is slated to come off the IL in time to start for the Dodgers on Sept. 10, but even after that it's a grave state of affairs for a team that's all-in on winning the World Series this season after a winter spending spree that most notably included signing Shohei Ohtani to a $700 million free-agent contract. In related matters, the Dodgers this season have given at least one start to 17 different pitchers in 2024.
Despite all the injuries and upheavals, the Dodgers enter Friday's slate with a five-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West. As well, the Dodgers at 84-56 are tied with the Philadelphia Phillies in the race for top overall seed in the NL bracket. The Phillies, however, hold the tiebreaker by virtue of their 5-1 record against the Dodgers this season.
