The Los Angeles Dodgers have made it a point over the years to scout and develop young talent across ranks of the organization.
This has allowed the front office extra flexibility to work with, especially when it comes to trade talks. But the depth that the Dodgers have in the organization doesn't come easy, and it's the result of a lot of time and effort.
Los Angeles has a plethora of young pitching talent in the farm system. But one that seems to have gotten lost in the ranks lately is right-hander Gavin Stone , who missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in October 2024.
But Stone is finally getting set for a return , with the right-hander set to begin a rehab assignment on Thursday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. The Dodgers are cautiously optimistic about Stone's recovery timeline, which could set him up to return in September.
Before going down with the injury, Stone was seen as a future member of the Dodgers' starting rotation plans. In 2024, Stone made a team-high 25 starts, posting a 3.53 ERA over 140.1 innings.
During the 2024 season, Stone became the first Dodgers rookie pitcher to throw a complete game since Hyun Jin Ryu in 2013. The Dodgers have been patiently waiting for Stone's return, and he potentially could provide a nice spark for the final month of the season.
While the Dodgers' starting rotation is fairly crowded, especially after the team acquired Tarik Skubal , Stone could offer evenmore depth to this team. The Dodgers also acquired left-hander Kris Bubic from the Kansas City Royals , but he's currently on the 60-day injured list as he also recovers from elbow and shoulder injuries.
The Dodgers have dealt with some injuries to starters this year, and Stone could help navigate the issues. Los Angeles has said that two-way star Shohei Ohtani will return to the mound this year, but there is no guarantee.
Having Stone available could give the Dodgers a placeholder while someone like Ohtani recovers. It could also simply allow for more rest to take place ahead of the playoffs. The Dodgers have also been without both Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow , but each pitcher should be back within the next few weeks.
Either way, getting Stone back is a good thing for Los Angeles as the season starts to wind down. It has been a long road back for the right-hander, but if he can pick up where he left off, the Dodgers will have some tough decisions to make when it's time to put together the postseason roster.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Dodgers Finally Have Injury Update on Gavin Stone, Who Could Be Late-Season Option .
