The Los Angeles Dodgers just got the news they have been waiting on for months. Tyler Glasnow is coming back.
Per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Glasnow is scheduled to start Tuesday’s series opener against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. It will be his first big-league start since May 6, when a shortened outing against the Houston Astros ended after just one inning because of back pain. Los Angeles placed him on the 60-day injured list shortly after.
The 33-year-old right-hander has been through this dance before. He has never made 30 starts in a big-league season, and his history of shoulder, elbow, and back issues is well-documented. The Dodgers knew that when they signed him. They also knew that when healthy, he is one of the most dominant strikeout arms in baseball.
His most recent rehab outing suggests he is ready. Glasnow threw 5 1/3 innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, allowing just one run on one hit while striking out six and walking one against Sugar Land. That is exactly the kind of line that green-lights a return to the majors.
Before the injury, Glasnow was locked in. He had a 2.72 ERA with a 3-0 record across seven starts before his back gave out. If he can pick up anywhere close to that form, the Dodgers rotation goes from good to downright scary heading into October.
The bigger picture in Los Angeles is even better. Dave Roberts confirmed Saturday that Shohei Ohtani threw 30 pitches in a live batting practice session against teammate Will Smith and will likely need one more before returning to the mound. Edwin Diaz is targeted for a September return in the bullpen. Even Justin Wrobleski, currently on the injured list, is being lined up for a 2-3 inning relief role next month.
The Dodgers are getting the healthy version of their pitching staff back at exactly the right time. The postseason is barely a month away.
What is remarkable about Los Angeles is that they have held first place in the NL West all year despite spending huge chunks of the season without Glasnow, Ohtani on the mound, Wrobleski, and various relievers. That is a testament to the depth of the roster and the trade deadline additions that reinforced the group even further.
Now they get to add a legitimate top-of-the-rotation starter for the stretch run and, ideally, October. The Braves lineup Glasnow will see Tuesday is a good test. Atlanta is fighting for its own playoff positioning and swings the bats better than most in the National League.
If Glasnow comes out of that start healthy and reasonably sharp, the Dodgers can start seriously mapping out a playoff rotation that features him, Ohtani, and a rested Yoshinobu Yamamoto. That is a nightmare group for any lineup in October.
First things first. He needs to prove his back holds up on Tuesday. Everything else follows.
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.
