Whereas warming up upfront of a simulated sport on Friday, Tyler Glasnow felt “discomfort” in his proper arm, Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts instructed the Orange County Register’s Invoice Plunkett and different reporters. Glasnow will endure testing this weekend to see if any structural points are current, and “I simply know we’re going to re-assess and see how he feels over the approaching days, see the place we are able to choose up throwing once more,” Roberts mentioned.
Even within the best-case situation of a clear MRI, there’s nonetheless loads of uncertainty over what this setback means for Glasnow’s probabilities of a return. The common season ends simply over two weeks’ time, and whereas the Dodgers are a digital lock to make the playoffs, it’s removed from a certainty whether or not or not Glasnow will likely be absolutely wholesome and ramped up in time to hitch a postseason roster. The minor league season ends subsequent weekend and it subsequently appears unlikely Glasnow will likely be prepared for a rehab project, so he’d must depend on simulated video games or different sorts of prep work that don’t contain a correct in-game setting.
Elbow tendinitis has saved Glasnow from pitching since August 11, slicing brief a high quality season that had seen the right-hander submit a 3.49 ERA and an excellent 32.2% strikeout fee over 134 innings. As Plunkett notes, 109 of these innings got here earlier than Glasnow was positioned on the 15-day IL in early July attributable to decrease again soreness, and the righty returned from that damage to make 4 begins earlier than he was sidelined along with his elbow subject.
Glasnow’s prolonged damage historical past is well-documented, and his 134 innings already represents a profession excessive over his 9 MLB seasons. With regard to his elbow particularly, Glasnow had a Tommy John surgical procedure in 2021 that price him nearly all of his 2022 marketing campaign with the Rays, save for 2 regular-season video games and a playoff look. An indirect pressure then delayed the beginning of his 2023 season by two months, however he in any other case stayed wholesome and posted a 3.53 ERA in 120 innings for Tampa. This efficiency impressed the Dodgers to each purchase Glasnow in a significant offseason commerce, and likewise to signal him to a $136.5MM extension that runs by means of the 2028 season.
Within the extra quick time period, in fact, Los Angeles faces the prospect of not having Glasnow out there for his first postseason in Dodger Blue. Yesterday’s information is an unlucky continuation of the pitching accidents which have hampered the Dodgers all season, as 17 completely different pitchers have made a minimum of one begin for the membership in 2024.
At current, L.A.’s rotation consists of Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler, Bobby Miller, and Landon Knack. Past Glasnow, Roberts mentioned Gavin Stone (on the IL since August 31 attributable to proper shoulder irritation) will begin a throwing program this weekend however Stone’s timeline continues to be unsure. Tony Gonsolin will make his second minor league rehab begin on Sunday he works his approach again from Tommy John surgical procedure, although Roberts beforehand downplayed the probabilities of Gonsolin returning in time for regular-season work or any playoff availability. Clayton Kershaw is throwing off a conveyable mound however continues to be being bothered by the bone spur in his large left toe.
Given the entire query marks the Dodgers’ pitching workers faces because the postseason approaches, Roberts raised a little bit of a stir in an interview on MLB Community Radio on SiriusXM when he implied there was a slim chance Shohei Ohtani might pitch within the playoffs. Ohtani underwent UCL surgical procedure nearly precisely one yr in the past and wasn’t anticipated to return to pitching till 2025, although he began to throw as a part of his established rehab plan.
Roberts revisited the subject in talking with Plunkett and firm yesterday, noting that whereas “it’s not a zero p.c likelihood” that Ohtani is offered to pitch, “the chances of it coming to move are very slim.” The Dodgers haven’t but even talked with Ohtani about pitching in 2024, and Roberts famous that “the dialog can be, ’put it out of your head.’ ” Clearly the membership doesn’t wish to do something that may jeopardize Ohtani’s long-term pitching future, and even do something that may affect his availability as a hitter for a minimum of this yr’s playoffs.