Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Gavin Stone commented on his single-inning start against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday.
Stone hadn’t made a pitching appearance in a competitive game since Aug. 2024 leading up to Tuesday, but he picked up like he never left. He made it through the inning in 15 pitches, recording two strikeouts and not allowing a baserunner.
“That was awesome,” Stone said to SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson. “Considering the whole rehab process, how long it took, the surgery I had. It was amazing to finally get back out there and do what I love doing.
”…As long as I could replicate the stuff I had in ‘24 I knew I’d be okay. Getting back to that point, working on the velo… I’m just ready to go out there and get outs for the guys. I don’t really care about personal accomplishments or what I do out there as long as I can get outs for the guys as long as we can push for a three-peat.”
Stone underwent shoulder reconstruction surgery after suffering an injury in 2024 and missed the entirety of the 2025 season while recovering. Now, he’s putting together a case to make the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster despite their stacked pitching staff.
How did Gavin Stone Pitch During His Last Season?
Stone made 25 starts for the Dodgers during their championship campaign in 2024, putting together a stellar season before falling to injury.
Through his 25 starts, which spanned 140.1 innings pitched, he posted a 3.53 ERA and struck out 116 batters. He led a beleaguered Dodgers pitching staff in innings pitched that season, and even recorded a complete game shutout.
Does Gavin Stone Have a Place in the Dodgers’ Rotation?
The Dodgers have a pretty stacked rotation at the moment, so Stone could struggle to break into the rotation.
Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki are all healthy, and while Shohei Ohtani may not start the year in the rotation, he could very well join it at some point.
While Stone may not have a spot in the Dodgers’ rotation, it seems likely he’ll feature for the Dodgers at some point this season. Whether that time comes at the beginning of the season as a reliever of some sort or later on, the right-hander is sure to assist the Dodgers in some capacity during the season.
Are you excited to watch Gavin Stone pitch again?
