Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin has dealt with an injury-plagued 2023 season. After news broke on Monday that Gonsolin will undergo Tommy John surgery, the Dodgers will have questions to answer in their starting rotation.

Gonsolin will miss the majority, if not all of 2024, following the surgery. Dustin May also underwent elbow surgery earlier in 2023 and will miss a significant portion of 2024 as well. Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urias are both set to hit free agency. Meanwhile, newly-acquired starting pitcher Lance Lynn has a club option, which LA may consider picking up given how well he's performed since the Dodgers-Chicago White Sox trade.

The Dodgers also have a plethora of young pitchers who will impact the rotation in 2024. Additionally, we didn't even mention Walker Buehler, who's expected to return in September of this season and should be ready to roll to begin the '24 campaign as well. Regardless, Los Angeles would still benefit from adding a starting pitcher or two in free agency.

Here are four starting pitchers the Dodgers must pursue in free agency following Tony Gonsolin's injury.

Sonny Gray

Gray is set to hit free agency during the offseason. The right-hander has spent the past five years in the central divisions, pitching for the Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins. However, he also pitched in California for the Oakland Athletics and in a big market with the New York Yankees. Perhaps combining the two and joining a big market in California would benefit both Gray and the Dodgers.

Gray, 33, has quietly been one of the more reliable pitchers in the game over the past couple of seasons. In 2022, he pitched to a 3.08 ERA across 119.2 innings. Gray's been effective for the first-place Twins in 2023 as well, as he owns a 3.06 ERA as of this story's publication.

He's been healthy for the most part as well, already recording 150 innings on the mound over 26 starts. The Dodgers excel at getting the most out of their pitchers, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Gray sign a multi-year contract with LA as his career winds down. The move makes sense for both sides, so it will be interesting to see if the Dodgers display interest in Gray during the 2023-24 offseason.

Michael Lorenzen

The fact that Lorenzen made the All-Star team in 2023 will lead to an overall more lucrative contract in free agency. His no-hitter also didn't hurt his case.

Overall, Lorenzen owns a 3.69 ERA in 2023. That mark comes between the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies, as he was traded ahead of the deadline. The Dodgers were mentioned as a possible landing destination for Lorenzen, who is from Southern California.

Lorenzen previously pitched for his hometown Los Angeles Angels and may welcome a return to the state by joining the Dodgers. Los Angeles wouldn't need to break the bank for Lorenzen even if he earns a few more millions because of his 2023 accomplishments, and inking him to a two-four year deal with an option or two makes sense.

Jordan Montgomery

Jordan Montgomery was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Texas Rangers prior to the deadline in 2023. He's been terrific this season, and will draw interest in free agency.

He pitched to the tune of a respectable 3.42 ERA in St. Louis. However, he's improved with the Rangers and currently owns a sparkling 2.30 ERA since joining Texas.

Montgomery will be only 31-years old in 2024 and could play a pivotal role in Los Angeles' rotation. The Dodgers and Montgomery seem like a quality fit, so don't be surprised if Montgomery's name is linked to LA once free agency begins.

Hyun-jin Ryu

Is signing a 36-year-old pitcher who's dealt with no shortage of injuries over the past few seasons truly the best decision? Why not go and land Blake Snell or Aaron Nola?

Ryu is at the point of his career where signing a one-year contract with the Dodgers simply makes sense. Perhaps adding a club option would be worth it as well.

He of course began his career in LA with the Dodgers and performed well. In 2019, Ryu led the league in ERA and made his first and only All-Star team.

He joined the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020 and hasn't been the same pitcher. Ryu was sharp in 2020, but has dealt with injuries and underperformance since 2021… that is, until recently.

Ryu spent time on the injured list in 2023. Since returning, however, he's pitched to a 2.25 ERA. It should be noted that he's only appeared in five games. Nevertheless, Ryu is flashing signs of the All-Star caliber pitcher he once was.

If he finishes 2023 on a high note the Dodgers must consider taking a chance on him and signing Ryu to a short-term deal.

How about Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias?

The Dodgers should absolutely consider re-signing both Kershaw and Urias if possible. Urias is going to come at a steep price though, and he hasn't pitched all that well in 2023. Kershaw may consider retirement so that's a question mark.

For the purpose of this article, we were focusing on outside options, but Kershaw and Urias will certainly be options if possible.

What about Shohei Ohtani?

Shohei Ohtani would have been the easiest option to include, but now his pitching future is in question as the possibility of Tommy John surgery looms. At the very least, there's a chance Ohtani may not pitch in 2024. The Dodgers can still sign him and utilize him as an offensive weapon, and possibly a pitcher down the road, but he wasn't included in this list.