In a flurry of roster moves, the Dodgers cut ties with the injury-plagued 2022 All-Star, clearing a spot to protect their minor league MVP from the Rule 5 draft.
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers made a series of difficult roster moves on Thursday, closing the book on one former All-Star’s tenure to protect a rising star. The team officially designated right-hander Tony Gonsolin for assignment and outrighted pitcher Michael Grove and 2025 “World Series Game 6 hero” Justin Dean.
The moves were made to clear 40-man roster space for minor league MVP Ryan Ward and left-handed pitcher Robinson Ortiz, both of whom were added to protect them from the upcoming Rule 5 draft.
Shortly after being outrighted, Dean was claimed off waivers by the rival San Francisco Giants.
The End of an “Unlucky” Career in L.A.
For Gonsolin, the move marks the end of an “unlucky” and injury-marred career with the Dodgers. After finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2020, he was named an All-Star in 2022, going 16-1 with a 2.14 ERA.
However, he has never been able to pitch a full, healthy season. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023, which sidelined him for all of 2024.
He finally returned to the major league roster in 2025 but started the season on the IL with a back injury. He was activated in May, but his return lasted only seven starts (posting a 5.00 ERA) before he went down again in June. This summer, Gonsolin underwent an internal brace and flexor repair surgery, ruling him out for the rest of the 2025 season and, most critically, the majority of 2026.
A Full Rotation and a Negligible Trade Value
The decision to cut Gonsolin, while difficult, was not surprising. The Dodgers’ 2026 starting rotation is projected to be full, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, and Roki Sasaki locked into the top five spots.
Gonsolin “never stood a chance” in a fight for a roster spot. With his trade value considered “negligible” after a failed bounce-back year and another major surgery, the Dodgers opted not to tender him a contract (projected at $5.4 million) for a 2026 season he would largely miss.
The move was forced by the need to protect Ryan Ward. The lifetime minor leaguer has captured fans’ attention with “consistently excellent offensive performances” in Triple-A, culminating in a PCL MVP season. Because he was eligible for the Rule 5 draft, the Dodgers had to add him to the 40-man roster or risk losing him.
Ostensibly, the Dodgers chose to protect Ward, their future asset, over Gonsolin, their injured veteran.
