How long will Tony Gonsolin miss due to injury? Expected recovery period from Tommy John surgery, examined

Tony Gonsolin was expected to miss the remainder of this season anyway, but now, his 2024 might be wiped out as well.

The Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander is set to undergo Tommy John Surgery, the club announced on Monday. The procedure is scheduled to take place on Friday and will be performed by team doctor Neal ElAttrache.

Dr. ElAttrache is one of the top orthopedic surgeons on the West Coast. He performed TJ surgery on Bryce Harper, helping him make an ahead-of-schedule comeback.

Beyond baseball, Tom Brady and Kobe Bryant have been two of his most high-profile patients. So, It's fair to say that Gonsolin will be in excellent hands.

"Tony Gonsolin will have right elbow reconstruction surgery on September 1st at KJOC performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache." - Los Angeles Dodgers

Gonsolin has been struggling for fitness all year. He missed the bulk of spring training with an ankle injury before being rushed back with only one minor league rehab start.

The 29-year-old’s last outing was the worst of his career, giving up 10 runs on eight hits, and four walks in 3 ⅓ innings against the Miami Marlins. He entered the injured list the very next day with right forearm inflammation.

Gonsolin is 8-5 with a 4.98 ERA in 20 starts. He won’t be taking any further part this season, and is unlikely to feature next year as well.

Tommy John surgery recovery period: 2025 return for Tony Gonsolin?

Tommy John surgery is a fairly common procedure in MLB these days, but the recovery time remains substantial. There are players who have undergone the procedure twice - Nathan Eovaldi, for example - and have made a full comeback.

During the procedure, a tendon from another part of the body is used to replace the damaged ligament in the elbow. This is followed up by extensive rehabilitation to regenerate elbow strength and range of motion.

It may take a toll on some attributes, but a successful return from the procedure is fairly common in this modern day and age. A full recovery from TJ usually takes 12 to 18 months.

Given that Tony Gonsolin is undergoing the procedure in early September, expect him to return before Dodgers' 2025 Spring Training gets underway.