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LOS ANGELES, CA — Former Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin will get another opportunity to revive his major league career in 2027, as the Kansas City Royals have exercised their $2.5 million club option on the 32-year-old right-hander.
It’s welcome news for a pitcher whose promising career has been interrupted repeatedly by injuries over the past several seasons.
Gonsolin, affectionately known to Dodgers fans as the “Catman” because of his love of cats, was selected by Los Angeles in the ninth round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut in 2019 and quickly established himself as a valuable member of the pitching staff.
He was part of the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series championship team, but his finest season came in 2022, when he posted a remarkable 16-1 record with a 2.14 ERA and earned his first All-Star selection.
At that point, it appeared Gonsolin might become a fixture in the Dodgers’ rotation for years to come.
Unfortunately, injuries changed that trajectory.
Tommy John surgery in 2023 cost him the entire 2024 season, and his comeback in 2025 was cut short after just seven starts because of additional elbow problems. The Dodgers eventually designated him for assignment following the season.
Kansas City signed Gonsolin in August 2026 while he was recovering from another elbow procedure. He made four minor league rehabilitation appearances before returning to the majors, where he struggled in his only outing, surrendering five earned runs in 2⅔ innings.
Nevertheless, the Royals apparently saw enough potential to bring him back for another season.
For Dodgers fans who remember Gonsolin at his best, it’s encouraging to see him getting another opportunity. When healthy, his unusual delivery, effective splitter and ability to keep hitters off balance made him one of the more enjoyable pitchers to watch.
Here’s hoping the Catman can finally stay healthy and rediscover some of that 2022 magic. It’s been a long road back, and he’s certainly earned another chance
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A lifelong baseball fan, Webb has been going to Dodger games since he moved to Los Angeles in 1987. His favorite memory was attending the insane Game 3 of the World Series in 2025 and hugging random Dodgers fans after Freddie’s walkoff homer. He has been writing for Dodgersbeat since 2020.
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