Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Talks Gavin Stone's Future in Rotation

It's been a rocky start to say the least for the top pitching prospect.

Sunday marked the third career start for Dodgers rookie Gavin Stone and it was, unfortunately, his worst start yet. The right-hander gave up 7 runs and was chased after 2 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays. It put the already beleaguered bullpen to work to cover 7 innings and left manager Dave Roberts and the organization with a tough question.

Is it time to send Stone back to the minor leagues to regroup?

Following the game, Roberts revealed that the team would take time this week to reassess the starting rotation situation. 

“Given how today went, it’s prudent to just reassess and make sure that whatever we do is best for Gavin and best for us. We’ll all get together and figure out the best course of action. Because I think, like most things, you could debate either way. So that’s what we’ll have to figure out.”

The rookie Stone stayed positive through the learning curve, adding that he has some nuances to fine-tune in his game. He's allowed 16 earned runs over his first 10 big league innings (14.40 ERA).

It's worth acknowledging that Stone's introduction to the big leagues has been far from easy. In his first three starts, he has faced tough opponents such as the Phillies, Braves, and now the Rays. If the rotation were to continue as planned, Stone would have to face the Yankees in the next game at Dodger Stadium.

But he may not get that chance.

“It’s not ideal,” Roberts said of the Dodgers pitching woes. “Our hope every time a guy takes the mound is for a guy to get deep into a game, but we have to weigh that versus potentially putting a guy in harm’s way moving forward. It’s baseball, and a lot of teams go through it.”

This is certainly not the start the Dodgers envisioned for Stone's career in the major leagues, and it's not what Stone himself had imagined either. But hey, even Clayton Kershaw was sent down in his rookie season.

If the Dodgers opt to send Stone down, injured starter Michael Grove is essentially ready to come off the IL after two solid rehab starts with Triple-A Oklahoma City. In the interim, it seems the team will also stick with another rookie in the rotation with Bobby Miller, who is set to make his Dodger Stadium debut tonight.