Dodgers eying late April return for Gonsolin & Hudson

Mar 28, 2023 - 12:43 AM

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ANAHEIM — Both Tony Gonsolin and Daniel Hudson had their path to the Dodgers opening day roster ankled by ankles. Gonsolin suffered a left ankle sprain on March 6, while Hudson was slowed this spring by right ankle tendinitis he developed while rehabbing from last year’s left ACL tear. They will each start the season on the injured list.

Both pitchers could return to the active roster by the end of April, but both have several boxes to check before that becomes a reality.

Gonsolin only made one spring start before suffering the ankle injury, and his nearly three weeks before throwing off a mound essentially puts him back at square one of spring training.

Manager Dave Roberts said Gonsolin threw a bullpen session Monday, around 20-25 pitches. He’s expected to throw another bullpen session in a few days.

“Given the amount of time away from the mound,” Roberts said. “I think the timeline we’re thinking about is end of April for him to be back. It’s just having him continue to progress.”

Hudson won’t be with the Dodgers on opening day, as the right-hander continues to rehab at Camelback Ranch. The team tapered off his throwing program last week after not responding well after some bullpen sessions and throwing live to hitters.

Roberts called Hudson’s rehab a slow process, but that once he starts ramping the intensity again it won’t take as long as Gonsolin, a starter, to get ready for a return to the majors. So if things go well, both Gonsolin and Hudson could potentially return at roughly the same time.

“That would be my hope. The training staff might see it differently, but I would love to see that [Hudson] could be back at the end of April,” Roberts said. “That seems doable.”

Notes

• Jimmy Nelson is with the Dodgers for the Freeway Series and will remain with the team through opening day before returning to Camelback Ranch. Nelson missed a year and a half after Tommy John surgery and flexor tendon repair in his right elbow, and during spring training walked 11 of his 21 batters faced.
• Alex Reyes hasn’t yet thrown, as he’s recovering from last May’s shoulder surgery. His timetable for return isn’t yet known, but it isn’t anytime soon. “Once you get off the mound, it starts to become more real,” Roberts said. “Right now, he’s doing a lot of plyo work and strengthening.”