Gavin

Stone

It’s supposed to be a minor problem, but it’s taken Stone out of the mix to start for the Dodgers this weekend. Stone has pitched 11 2/3 innings with a 1.54 ERA in four starts for Oklahoma City as he works his way back from shoulder surgery. He has an excellent 18/1 K/BB during the span.

This was Stone’s first time appearing in a game since 2024. He had shoulder surgery and then suffered a setback this spring training while recovering from that surgery. The 27-year-old struck out three and didn’t walk a batter in this one while averaging 94.4 mph on his four-seam fastball. It’s highly unlikely that he pitches for the Dodgers this season, but it’s nice to see him back on the mound.

The procedural move frees up a spot on Los Angeles’ 40-man roster for reliever Grant Holman. Stone will remain sidelined until at least late May as he continues to recover from shoulder inflammation that put him on the shelf in spring training. The 27-year-old righty hasn’t pitched in the big league since making 25 starts with a 3.53 ERA back in 2024.

Stone had a setback in his return from shoulder surgery this spring and has been shut down since, though that might change soon. He’ll spend some time in the minors once he’s ready to pitch in games, but perhaps he’ll be a candidate to help the Dodgers in the second half of May or in June.

Stone is aiming to progress to throwing off a bullpen mound at some point within the next month. The 27-year-old will open the regular season on the injured list with shoulder inflammation but the positive news here is that additional testing didn’t reveal any structural damage and he’ll begin ramping up his throwing program in the coming weeks. It seems like he’s going to miss at least a few months, if not longer, to open the year.

That’s good news for the Dodgers, even if Stone won’t be ready for the beginning of the season. He’ll rest for a couple of weeks, and he’ll probably start off on the injured list before being optioned to Triple-A once healthy.

Stone is working his way back after missing all of 2025 due to shoulder surgery, and he was impressive in his first spring outing. Unfortunately, the setback means it’s likely the 25-year-old will need to miss the start of the regular season. There should be further updates on Stone’s situation in the coming weeks.

Stone’s secondary pitches were all down in the velocity department, but his six fastballs averaged 94.9 mph, which is right where he was when he went 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA in 25 starts as a rookie in 2024. It’d be great for the Dodgers’ pitching depth if he returns to that form.

Stone appears on track for a normal spring ramp up after missing last season while recovering from shoulder surgery. The track record is a bit checkered for pitchers coming off major shoulder procedures so fantasy managers should keep an eye on his velocity and command during Cactus League exhibition outings. He’ll presumably be in the mix for a swingman-type role with the Dodgers, if his stuff bounces back to pre-surgery levels.

Stone will miss the entire 2025 season after undergoing shoulder surgery back in October. The track record for pitchers coming back from major shoulder procedures is a bit more checkered than elbow surgeries, which complicates his long-term outlook. The procedural move frees up a spot on Los Angeles’ 40-man roster for utility specialist Kiké Hernández.