Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow landed on the 15-day injured record two weeks in the past resulting from proper elbow tendinitis. On the time, the righty stated the ailment was “nothing tremendous regarding to me,” per Invoice Plunkett of the Orange County Register. Nevertheless it appears issues have gotten murkier since then. Final weekend, supervisor Dave Roberts instructed reporters that Glasnow’s return can be a “sluggish course of” however that his season wasn’t in jeopardy. Final evening, when requested if Glasnow would return this yr, Roberts was noncommittal.
“We’re hopeful,” he stated, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Instances on X. “I believe hopeful. I believe that there’s nonetheless quite a lot of variables, to make sure. However I believe everybody within the group is hopeful.” The righty is planning to play catch in the present day and thru the weekend. Roberts was requested if Glasnow would nonetheless be ramped up if he continues to really feel discomfort. “I’m unsure about that,” he stated, per Harris. “I do know proper now, if you’re beginning up, you’re most likely in search of pain-free. I believe that’s most likely the beginning. Nevertheless it’s a good query.”
It will look like a lower than excellent growth, provided that the prognosis appears to be getting much less optimistic. Glasnow’s well being has been within the highlight for many of his skilled profession. He handled elbow points throughout his time with the Rays, together with a Tommy John surgical procedure, and by no means topped 120 innings in a season with that membership. He’s as much as 134 innings with the Dodgers this yr, setting a brand new profession excessive, but it surely hasn’t been completely easy crusing. He missed two weeks across the All-Star break resulting from some decrease again tightness and now his elbow is once more the main target.
When on the mound, he’s been his regular self, giving up some dwelling runs but in addition racking up a number of strikeouts. He’s allowed 3.49 earned runs per 9 frames on the yr, placing out 32.2% of batters confronted whereas limiting walks to a 6.7% clip. His 48.6% floor ball price can also be robust however his 15 dwelling runs allowed have put some runs on the board.
All collectively, Glasnow is without doubt one of the higher pitchers on the membership. Regardless of numerous harm points across the roster, the Dodgers are presently the most effective group in baseball at 80-54. Nonetheless, followers of the membership will probably be worrying a few repeat of final yr, when the membership’s dominant common season was shortly undercut by an absence of rotation well being for the playoffs.
The Dodgers went 100-62 final yr and earned a bye via the Wild Card spherical however had been shortly swept by the Diamondbacks within the Division Sequence. By that point, Julio Urías was on the restricted record resulting from home violence fees whereas every of Dustin Might, Tony Gonsolin and Walker Buehler had been all out resulting from important surgical procedures. Clayton Kershaw wasn’t on the IL however was clearly battling shoulder issues that ultimately required surgical procedure within the offseason. Lance Lynn had been combating dwelling run issues all yr, which adopted him into the postseason.
This yr, Glasnow’s standing is up within the air. Might is out for the yr resulting from surgical procedure once more, this time resulting from a tear in his esophagus. River Ryan and Emmet Sheehan each required Tommy John surgical procedures.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been on the IL since June resulting from a rotator cuff pressure, although he appears to be nearing a return. He began a rehab project on Wednesday evening, tossing 31 pitches over two innings for Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis. Assuming he doesn’t expertise any form of setback, he ought to make a couple of extra rehab outings as he builds up that pitch depend and might be again with the large league membership earlier than the common season is out. Previous to hitting the IL, he had posted a 2.92 ERA in his first 14 main league begins.
Proper now, the rotation consists of Kershaw, Buehler, Jack Flaherty, Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone. Kershaw has a strong 3.72 ERA in his return from shoulder surgical procedure however with a 19% strikeout price that’s beneath common and nicely shy of his earlier type. The rate on all his pitches is a bit beneath the place he was final yr, previous to going below the knife. Flaherty is having a powerful season however has well being questions of his personal, as he handled some again issues with the Tigers which reportedly scuttled a deal to the Yankees earlier than he was traded to the Dodgers. Each Miller and Buehler have struggled considerably this yr.
It’s nonetheless doable that the Dodgers will likely be compiling a postseason rotation from a powerful group together with Stone, Flaherty, Yamamoto, Glasnow and Kershaw, although Stone is the one one with no notable well being concern this yr. If issues go nicely with Yamamoto and Glasnow within the coming weeks, issues will likely be trying fairly good, however it will likely be a scenario value monitoring within the coming weeks.
Circling again to Gonsolin, it’s doable he may return this yr, however he wouldn’t be totally stretched out. Roberts stated this week that the door is “just a little open” for the righty to return as a reliever, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic on X.
He underwent Tommy John surgical procedure nearly precisely a yr in the past, on September 1 of 2023, so now could be a pure time within the rehab course of to start out ramping up. He has been throwing stay bullpens and will begin a rehab project quickly. The righty had a 3.19 profession ERA, having began 71 of his 79 outings. Coming again as a reliever might be a boon to the pitching workers whereas additionally laying a small basis for his 2025 season. He may be managed by way of arbitration via 2026.
