Tony Gonsolin is one step closer to getting back on a big league mound.
The right-hander, now with the Kansas City Royals, is scheduled to start a rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A Omaha, the club announced. The Royals did not say how many outings he’ll need before he can return to the majors.
Kansas City is expected to handle him carefully. Gonsolin is coming off serious elbow surgery, and that injury followed a previous Tommy John surgery that already cost him time. The Royals have no interest in pushing him and risking another setback.
The team’s place in the standings also gives them some breathing room. At 58-74, Kansas City is 10.5 games behind the AL Central lead and eight games out of a Wild Card spot, so there’s no reason to force the issue with Gonsolin’s timeline.
If and when he gets back, he’ll be trying to rediscover the pitcher he was with the Dodgers. Over six seasons in Los Angeles, Gonsolin posted a 3.34 ERA with a 387/149 K/BB ratio. He was an All-Star and a World Series champion, and even with the injuries behind him, he clearly believes there’s still more in the tank.
His Royals contract includes a club option for the 2027 season, giving Kansas City the possibility of keeping him around if he proves he can still be a factor. For now, though, the only task in front of Gonsolin is the simplest one: getting back to the majors.
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