The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ starting rotation has been hit hard by injuries over the past few months, and they’ve now lost one of their key offseason acquisitions, Tyler Glasnow, for the remainder of the season. This is a significant blow as the team heads into the playoffs.
Glasnow’s Latest Setback
Glasnow, who has had a history of elbow injuries throughout his career, suffered yet another setback. After a promising recovery from previous elbow issues, his recent injury occurred during a bullpen session that forced the Dodgers to have his elbow reevaluated. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with an elbow sprain, ending his season prematurely just as the playoffs were approaching.
“I wanted to come here and pitch in the postseason and win a World Series, and right at the time when [I would be gearing up for playoffs], I’ve just been told I can’t do that. So this one sucks the most, for sure,” said Glasnow, via the LA Times.
A Strong Season Cut Short
Before the injury, the 31-year-old right-hander was having a solid season, posting a 3.49 ERA over 134 innings. While his strikeout rate had dipped slightly to 11.28 per nine innings, Glasnow still ranked among the top pitchers in baseball for strikeout percentage. His other metrics were equally impressive, with a 69.8% left-on-base rate and a 48.6% ground-ball rate, both of which are considered excellent. He had also accumulated 3.8 WAR, the highest of his career.
Glasnow was poised to have one of his best seasons after several injury-plagued years with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Dodgers signed him to a five-year, $136.5 million contract this past offseason, hoping his elite arsenal of pitches would help push them deep into the postseason.
Elite Pitching When Healthy
When Glasnow is healthy, his pitching is elite, especially his breaking ball. His four-seam fastball, which averages 96.3 mph, held opponents to a .211 batting average this season. However, it’s his slider and curveball that have been most devastating. He generated 53 strikeouts with his curveball, despite only using it 18.6% of the time. The curveball featured an eye-popping 47.5% whiff rate and 51.1 inches of drop—numbers that rank among the best in baseball.
The Dodgers were excited about Glasnow’s potential to contribute to their playoff push, especially as they aim to capitalize on a brilliant season from Shohei Ohtani. Unfortunately, his elbow issues resurfaced, cutting short what could have been a crucial role in October.
- Dodgers’ star pitching acquisition will miss the playoffs after latest setback
- Dodgers former All-Star pitcher might be on his last legs
- Dodgers could lose star outfielder to Cardinals in free agency
Glasnow’s Disappointment
“I felt great [up until the simulated game],” Glasnow explained. “All my bullpens were really good. Everything was coming out [good]. Stuff-wise and velo-wise, it was game-ready. I thought it was good to go, and then, I just kind of ended up not being OK.”
What’s Next for the Dodgers?
With Glasnow ruled out, the Dodgers now face an even greater challenge in the postseason. The team may look to Walker Buehler, although the 30-year-old right-hander has struggled this season, pitching 70.1 innings with a 5.63 ERA. Buehler’s performance this year has left the Dodgers with little reason to believe he can be a reliable arm in the postseason. However, with Glasnow sidelined, they may have no choice but to rely on him.
This injury leaves the Dodgers in a difficult position, as they scramble to piece together a rotation capable of competing in the playoffs without one of their key starters.