Dodgers @ Marlins August 29, 2022: Surprise starter Michael Grove

Well I spent a bunch of time last night writing a game thread with the assumption that Tony Gonsolin would be the starter today taking a look at his past few outings and then…

#Dodgers have placed tonight’s starter Tony Gonsolin on IL with forearm strain. If not serious, it’s a good way to slow his career-high IP workload. Michael Grove recalled, presumably to start v Marlins tonight

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 29, 2022

…so now we are just settling for a very boring game thread instead as Michael Grove gets his second start and third appearance of the season in the majors.

	3:40 PM		Miami
SS	T. Turner	SS	Wendle (L)
1B	Freeman (L)	3B	Berti
C	Smith	RF	Anderson
DH	Muncy (L)	CF	Bleday (L)
3B	J. Turner	DH	Cooper
RF	Gallo (L)	C	Stallings
LF	Taylor	1B	Diaz
CF	Bellinger (L)	2B	Leblanc
2B	Alberto	LF	Encarnacion
P	Grove (R)	P	Lopez (R)

Mookie Betts gets the day off, as does Gavin Lux with Hanser Alberto at second base and Joey Gallo in right.

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In Grove’s first outing, he lasted 3 2/3 innings on May 15 against the Phillies with four unearned runs allowed on four hits and three walks. Back up with the Dodgers again on June 1, Grove allowed three runs in his 1 inning on three hits and a walk.

Grove’s at 54.3% four-seamer, 28.3% slider and 17.4% curveball, though the slider has been at 51.1% to righties and just 6.4% to lefties. Meanwhile the curve was at just 2.2% to righties and 31.9% to lefties. Now Grove has thrown just 92 pitches this season, so that sample size is not exactly the best to go off of. Also worth noting, he’s at a 3.48 ERA in 17 games (15 starts) between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A OKC. While he struck out just three of the 26 batters he has faced in the majors, he does hold a 26.0 K% in Triple-A and a 32.8 K% in Double-A this year.

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It probably deserves a deeper dive into it, but unfortunately I do not have the time so here’s a little info on what is going on with Gonsolin.

Some more clarity here: Sounds like Tony Gonsolin's forearm strain isn't too serious. Per source, team believes they caught it on front end, and that he should be back this year

Start of playoffs are six weeks away https://t.co/I2pqLeETIm

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) August 29, 2022

Gonsolin will rest today & tmrw, then get reevaluated on Wed. He’s hopeful he’ll be back when his IL stint is up (which is on Sep. 10)

“It does suck the time, coming into September. But I do think it’s also a blessing a little bit, give me a little break [before] the playoffs.”

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) August 29, 2022

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Here’s the likely pitching matchups for the upcoming series with the Mets.

Pitching matchups #Dodgers v Mets. Looks like we can pencil Clayton Kershaw in for Thursday
Tue – LHP Andrew Heaney (2-1, 1.94) vs. RHP Taijuan Walker (10-3, 3.38)
Wed – LHP Tyler Anderson (13-2, 2.69) vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (3-1, 2.15)
Thr — TBA vs. RHP Chris Bassitt (11-7, 3.34)

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 29, 2022

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Another Dodger has announced he will join Team USA in the World Baseball Classic next spring:

Will Smith joins #Dodgers teammate Mookie Betts in committing to play for Team USA in WBC next spring https://t.co/R50ZmkaxyG

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 29, 2022

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First pitch is scheduled for 3:40 p.m. on Sportsnet LA and is the free game of the day on MLB.tv.