For more than 14 years, (now) 34-year-old left-hander and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw has been the ace of the Dodgers pitching staff. But there’s a new sheriff in town, and that prestigious ‘ace’ torch appears to have been passed.

Enter 28-year-old Dodgers right-hander Tony Gonsolin.

First and foremost, in no way is this a knock on Kershaw, who, as noted, will spend baseball eternity in the sacred Halls of Cooperstown exactly five years after he hangs up his spikes (i.e., a first-ballot Hall of Famer). After all, we’re talking about a guy who: is a former National League MVP, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, won baseball’s Triple Crown (wins, strikeouts, ERA), is an eight-time All-Star, a World Series champion (2020), a Gold Glove winner, a five-time ERA title winner, and is a former Major League Player of the Year.

But back to Tony Gonsolin. Through his (thus far) 10 starts, the Vacaville, CA native and Dodgers ninth-round draft pick in 2016 out of Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga, CA, is 6-0 with an NL-best 1.59 ERA. He has also struck out 49 while walking only 17 through his 51 innings pitched thus far this season.

On Thursday night, Gonsolin pitched six scoreless innings against the best offense in the game (Dodgers notwithstanding) – the NL East first-place New York Mets – allowing only two hits while striking out five and walking only one.

“It’s confidence,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Gonsolin’s All-Star-worthy 2022 season. “That’s the thing that you can see more than anything. I think he’s expecting to go close to three times through the lineup. He’s expecting himself to go deeper in the game, expecting, if there’s some stress, that he’s going to find a way to get out of it.”

“It’s a good feeling that I can go out there without my best stuff and rely on the defense and let them make great plays like they always do and just go out there and throw strikes,” Gonsolin told reporters postgame.

Although being modest, the 6′-3″ / 205-pound new Dodgers ace did indeed have his best stuff on Thursday night.

“Tony was pitching outstanding, so obviously we want to pick him up any way we can when he’s going, try to make every play for him,” said Dodgers left fielder Chris Taylor, who indeed made several outstanding defensive plays on Thursday night. “He’s fun to play behind right now.”

“He’s really good,” added Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner, who extended his hitting streak to 25 games with a sixth-inning double and scored what would end up being the winning run in the eventual 2-0 contest. “The stuff’s always been there; career numbers are really good. It’s a matter of just going deeper into games, and he’s certainly doing that. I think the talent’s there, and I think it’s that experience that’s going to be really big for us. He’s been consistent; he’s kept us in games; the [6-0] record shows that he’s done that, and more of that from him is going to be needed down the road.”

As for Kershaw, Roberts said pre-game that his here-to-for longtime ace, who is recovering from inflammation in his pelvic joint, is scheduled to make a rehab appearance with the Dodgers Low Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Sunday (June 5). Roberts added that his future Hall of Famer came out of his 60-plus-pitch bullpen session and simulated game on Wednesday “feeling good.” As such, there is an exceptionally good chance that Kershaw will be activated from the injured list as early as next week.

Play Ball!

  *  *  *  *  *  *