The Dodgers and right-handers Tony Gonsolin have signed a two-year, $6.65 million deal to avoid arbitration, the team announced. The deal will not affect the club’s team control window as it is still controllable through the 2026 season.
Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya shares financial breakdown for Beverly Hills Sports Council client (on twitter). Gonsolin will earn $3.25 million next season, just north of the middle between his $3.4 million submission number and the team’s $3 million bid. The deal includes a fairly modest base salary of $3.4 million for 2024, but would allow the right-hander to amass a decent amount if he stays healthy this year. Gonsolin’s 2024 salary would increase by $500,000 apiece if he makes 14, 16, 18, 20, 24 and 28 starts this season — potentially adding $3 million to his 24th salary. The contract also includes bonuses based on his placements in the Cy Young voting.
The Associated Press reports that Gonsolin’s 2024 salary has been increased by $1.125 million if he wins the Cy Young next season, with $625,000 available for a top 3 finish and $500,000 if he finishes fourth or fifth place. According to the AP, any relief phenomenon of at least 3 1/3 would equate to a launch for the escalators — presumably a means of protecting Gonsolin’s way to unlatch the escalators if deployed behind an opener.
It’s a relatively inconsequential transaction overall, but it gives the club and the player some cost certainty for years to come. Gonsolin, who qualified for arbitration as a Super Two player earlier this winter, will still have two more arbitration seasons, covering 2025-26. The deal completes the Dodgers’ arbitration work for this offseason, as they reached agreements with their other nine Arb-eligible players before the Jan. 14 deadline so the parties could exchange numbers.
Gonsolin debuted in 2019 and worked as a deep starter for his first two-plus seasons. While Saint Mary’s product has been consistently effective, he didn’t crack a lasting spot in the Dodgers’ strong rotation until last year. During the 2022 campaign, Gonsolin cemented himself as one of the better pitchers in the sport. He posted a brilliant 2.14 ERA in 130 1/3 innings from 24 starts. A .207 batting average with balls in play makes it unlikely he’ll maintain that ace-level run prevention, but the 28-year-old outpaced 23.9% of opponents with a strong 7% walk rate. Even though his ERA is a step back, he looks like a high-quality, mid-rotation slingshot.
The Dodgers’ payroll is just under $222 million as calculated by Roster Resource. The team’s competitive balance sheet tax number is a few million dollars above the base line of $233 million, taking Gonsolin’s average annual value of $3.325 million against the ledger. They total estimated CBT commitments of approximately $238 million.