Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Gavin Stone will make his first appearance in a professional regular season game Thursday, as he is set to begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Stone last pitched in a professional game for the Dodgers in 2024, when he led the team with 25 starts and 140.1 innings pitched. He posted a 3.53 ERA, striking out 116 batters throughout the season. While he struggled to generate strikeouts, he allowed soft contact at an above-average rate, and played a key role in the season while the Dodgers figured out their rotation.
He went down with a shoulder injury in Sept. 2024, missing the postseason and the entirety of 2025 after undergoing shoulder reconstruction surgery.
He looked to make a comeback at the beginning of the 2026 season after fully recovering from the surgery, but landed back on the injured list after just one strong appearance in spring training . He threw just one inning during that outing, recording two strikeouts in a perfect inning.
Bobby Miller began his rehab assignment Wednesday as well, marking his first regular-season appearance of 2026 after returning from a shoulder injury. He pitched two innings, allowing one earned run while striking out three batters.
Feb 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Gavin Stone against the Cleveland Guardians during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
While Stone had a big role in the rotation during the 2024 season, the Dodgers have significantly strengthened their pitching staff since then. Blockbuster trade deadline acquisition Tarik Skubal , Yoshinobu Yamamoto , Eric Lauer , Roki Sasaki and Justin Wrobleski currently occupy the Dodgers' five-man rotation, and Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow —both of whom are on their rehab assignments—provide even more depth.
Additionally, Shohei Ohtani and Kris Bubic are nursing injuries, and could return by the end of the season.
These factors make Stone's return to MLB a little more difficult, but if the Dodgers' struggles with injuries persist, he could appear in the rotation once again.
Stone could also come into the Dodgers' bullpen, which is far from finalized with just two months before the postseason. The Dodgers' relievers have struggled over the past month, meaning a long relief role for Stone could be on the cards.
Would you want Gavin Stone in MLB or should the Dodgers let him figure things out in the minors?
