Rookie clash pits Dodgers' Gonsolin vs. D-backs' Clarke
Right-hander Tony Gonsolin will make his major league debut Wednesday when the Los Angeles Dodgers play the Arizona Diamondbacks in the finale of a three-game series in Phoenix.
Gonsolin, the Dodgers' 2018 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, will be called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City and take the temporary sixth starter spot in the rotation. Los Angeles, in the midst of 18 games in 18 days, is trying to build in extra rest for its starters, a luxury afforded by a 13-game lead in the National League West.
"Giving all of our starters an extra day, I think that makes sense," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Gonsolin, 25, threw nine scoreless innings in spring training before being sidelined by a strained oblique for about six weeks. He is 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA in eight appearances spanning 26 innings at Oklahoma City, working his way up to a five-inning, 77-pitch outing last Thursday.
"My heart started racing, started sweating immediately -- excitement, nervousness, anxious, all the emotions flooded me at once," Gonsolin said on MLB.com about getting the news of the promotion. "Just need to relax tomorrow and let it happen."
In the rubber contest of the three-game set, Arizona will counter with struggling rookie Taylor Clarke (1-3, 6.48 ERA). The 26-year-old right-hander has completed five innings just once in his past five starts, during which he is 0-2 with a 10.00 ERA.
Clarke faced the Dodgers on June 4, taking the loss in his best start of the month -- three runs (two earned) on four hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked two.
Arizona's Ketel Marte set a franchise record Tuesday with his eighth consecutive multi-hit game, and he'll make a final case Wednesday to be voted into the All-Star Game. The new Starters Election begins Wednesday and closes Thursday after a 28-hour window.
Marte is one of three candidates at second base, along with Milwaukee's Mike Moustakas and Atlanta's Ozzie Albies.
Marte has multiple hits in 11 of his past 13 games, and the 25-year-old is hitting .537 (29-for-54) in those 13 games to raise his batting average to .314 with 20 homers.
Arizona acquired Marte in a trade with the Seattle Mariners after the 2016 season.
"I do remember seeing him as a very young player in Seattle and thinking, 'This is a very interesting athlete at 21-years old,'" Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said on MLB.com. "Now, I think we have to appreciate that we are watching one of the best players in the National League perform each night."
Arizona sent infielder Domingo Leyba to Triple-A Reno after Tuesday's game and will activate corner infielder Jake Lamb, who has been out since April 3 because of a left quadriceps injury.
Roberts said he plans to give third baseman Justin Turner the day off Wednesday on a day game following a night game. Turner hit his eighth home run of the season Tuesday night in a 3-2 win.
Roberts, experimenting with lineups, said catcher Russell Martin is an option to play third base Wednesday. Martin has 50 career appearances at third base, including 21 for the Toronto Blue Jays last season. Roberts also has been giving outfielder Joc Pederson time at first base, and catcher Austin Barnes, a converted infielder, started at second base Tuesday.
"Just trying to continue to increase options on our roster," Roberts said.
--Field Level Media
