The Kansas City Royals sent a recently signed player out on a rehab assignment.
The Kansas City Royals signed right-hander Tony Gonsolin to a big-league contract less than two weeks ago. The deal included a contract for the remainder of the 2026 season along with a club option for 2027.
The reasoning behind the move was straightforward. Kansas City wanted to see what they could get out of Gonsolin for the rest of this year in what has been a lost season, to determine if he could factor into their plans for 2027.
The move is essentially risk-free for Kansas City while giving Gonsolin a path back into the big leagues. Gonsolin was immediately placed on the 15-day injured list after signing as he continues to recover from right elbow surgery.
Fortunately, he has been throwing with the organization, and on Tuesday the Royals announced he had taken a big step forward. "RHP Tony Gonsolin will begin a rehab assignment tomorrow with Omaha," the Royals wrote on X.
With Gonsolin heading out on a rehab assignment, it may take a few weeks before he is ready to return, which would give him less than a month to prove he still has what it takes to pitch in the big leagues. The timeline is tight but not impossible.
Gonsolin's career in MLB has unfortunately been crushed by injuries over the past three years. He has pitched just seven times since the start of the 2024 season. He missed the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September of 2023.
When he returned in 2025, his right elbow was still not right and he was forced to undergo a right elbow internal brace procedure that cost him the rest of 2025 as well, after just seven starts. The Los Angeles Dodgers designated him for assignment last offseason and he elected free agency, eventually landing in Kansas City months later.
The Royals are hoping Gonsolin still has something left in the tank at 32 years old. At his peak in Los Angeles he was one of the most effective pitchers in baseball. His best season came in 2022 when he earned an All-Star selection and posted a minuscule 2.14 ERA across 130 1/3 innings with 119 strikeouts.
He likely will not return to that level, but even across his entire time with the Dodgers his ERA sat at a very respectable 3.34 over six seasons. That would be a huge boost for a depleted Royals pitching staff if he can approach anything close to that form.
Tuesday's announcement is the first real sign of progress, and Kansas City will be watching closely as Gonsolin works his way through the rehab process in Omaha.
