The Los Angeles Dodgers got more bad news on Tyler Glasnow, and this time there is no spin to put on it.
The reigning World Series champions transferred Glasnow to the 60-day injured list on Saturday and called up Nick Frasso to take his spot on the 40-man roster. That move locks Glasnow out until at least July, and even that timeline looks optimistic given what the team is saying behind the scenes.
Glasnow has not pitched since leaving his May 6 start against the Houston Astros early because of back pain. The Dodgers placed him on the 15-day IL two days later, and he still has not picked up a baseball. According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Glasnow is “not throwing at the moment,” which is the kind of update that should worry Dodgers fans.
This is the part where you have to be honest about the Glasnow contract. The Dodgers gave him five years and $136.5 million to be their playoff ace, and the back problems have been a constant. He pitched well when he was on the mound this year, going 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in seven starts, but seven starts is the whole story.
The bigger issue is what the rotation looks like without him. Blake Snell is also on the 60-day IL still recovering from elbow surgery. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani are carrying the weight of a starting staff that was supposed to have four aces. That kind of pressure does not hold up for six months.
Los Angeles is still 41-23 and leads the National League West, which makes this a problem you have to solve at the trade deadline. The Dodgers cannot keep running Ohtani out there as a two-way ace and expect his arm to survive another postseason run. They are going to need a starter, and the market is already getting thin.
Andrew Friedman has options. The Marlins have Sandy Alcantara back and pitching well. The Tigers have Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize on the IL, which complicates Detroit’s deadline plans. The Giants are openly shopping veterans after their slow start. Any of those could become the bridge piece if Glasnow does not come back at full strength.
The deeper concern is whether Glasnow can ever be relied on at all. He has now had back problems, elbow problems, and shoulder problems across his career. The Dodgers knew that going in and bet they could manage his workload to keep him healthy for October. That bet looks worse every month.
Frasso, the 26-year-old right-hander joining the 40-man roster, was a key piece of the prospect haul that helped the Dodgers build their pitching depth. He is not Glasnow, but he gives Dave Roberts another arm to work with as the team waits for actual help to arrive.
Atlanta is the only NL team with a better record than Los Angeles right now. The Braves have a healthier rotation and a deeper bullpen. If the Dodgers want to defend their title, they need Glasnow back, and they need him throwing yesterday.
For now, the timeline is fuzzy and the news is bad. July is the floor, not the goal. Dodgers fans should brace for August.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
