The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ rotation will be down another arm following a “disappointing” injury update from manager Dave Roberts regarding one of the organization’s promising young arms.
Right-hander Gavin Stone suffered a setback in his return from a shoulder injury, Roberts told reporters, including Jack Harris of the California Post. The 27-year-old missed all of the 2025 season following surgery to repair his labrum and rotator cuff. Stone hasn’t been on a big-league mound since August 2024. His status is now in doubt for Opening Day on Thursday, March 26, against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“Given everything he’s gone through with the shoulder, we wanted to make sure we push pause,” Roberts said, relayed by Harris. “I don’t know when he’s gonna start throwing again. But it is a setback, unfortunately.”
Roberts said Stone’s surgically-repaired shoulder was bothering him again after last week’s start and a subsequent bullpen
Probably scuttles his chances for opening day
Stone was competing for a spot in the Dodgers’ rotation that is already dealing with health concerns. He appeared on track for a role on the Opening Day roster after a strong Spring Training debut. Stone tossed a scoreless inning with a pair of strikeouts to begin his spring action on Tuesday, February 24, against the Cleveland Guardians. He reported shoulder soreness soon after that outing.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Rotation Down Another Arm After Gavin Stone News
The Stone setback is the latest in an offseason that has been marred by injuries to the Dodgers’ rotation. Left-hander Blake Snell is also battling a shoulder injury. The two-time Cy Young winner has slow-played his offseason ramp-up and is unlikely to be ready to start the season. Right-hander Bobby Miller is working through an arm issue and has yet to throw off a mound this spring. Recent struggles in the majors had Miller ticketed for a bullpen role if he made the club, but that’s now out of the question.
The Dodgers’ rotation is no stranger to health problems. Even as the team marched to its second consecutive World Series title, many key starters were in and out of the mix. Tyler Glasnow was placed on the IL in April with shoulder inflammation. He missed all of May and June while recovering from the issue. Labrum surgery kept Shohei Ohtani off the mound until June. Even when he returned, he was limited to a couple of innings at a time until after the All-Star break. Prized offseason signing Roki Sasaki went down with a shoulder impingement in May. He ultimately returned as a reliever.
Stone’s Big-League Return Will Have to Wait
After scuffling in his 2023 debut, Stone broke out as an important member of the Dodgers’ rotation in 2024. He came through with a 3.53 ERA across 25 starts in his first full season in the majors. The righty took an interesting approach, opting to use a changeup as his primary pitch. The offering racked up an impressive 37.2% whiff rate and a +5 Run Value.
Unfortunately, Stone landed on the IL in September 2024 with shoulder inflammation. The issue eventually resulted in surgery to repair multiple ligaments in the area. The comments from Roberts suggest Stone is a long shot to be ready for the beginning of the 2026 season. His long-awaited return will be delayed for the foreseeable future.
Dodgers’ Rotation Takes Another Hit After ‘Disappointing’ Injury Update