Dodgers seem to avoid pitching nightmare after Tyler Glasnow injury diagnosis

On the heels of Blake Snell nearing his return to the Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation, the Dodgers are suddenly dealing with another injury that feels all too familiar. In the second inning of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros, Tyler Glasnow exited the game with an apparent injury.

Glasnow was making his warmup pitches before the inning when he clearly felt something. Glasnow threw a pitch, and there was a notable reaction as he was walking back to the mound, but it was unclear what exactly the issue was.

The 32-year-old pitcher was met by Dave Roberts and the Dodgers' trainers before ultimately leaving the game. Glasnow's velocity didn't dip, suggesting that the issue may have been something other than his elbow or shoulder.

For now, it would seem like the move was a precautionary measure. The Dodgers confirmed the reason for the early exit was lower back pain. The hope is that something felt off with Glasnow's delivery, and rather than work his way through the discomfort, the Dodgers opted to play it safe.

Tyler Glasnow's annual injury scare has arrived

Dating back to his time with the Tampa Bay Rays, injury scares have always followed Glasnow. It's why many questioned LA's eagerness to sign him to a five-year deal worth $136.5 million before he even threw a single pitch for the Dodgers. His first year with the Dodgers in 2024 was the first time in his career that he surpassed 130 innings pitched in a season, and that was followed by only 90 innings pitched last year.

Of course, some of that was the Dodgers intentionally playing it safe, preserving Glasnow for October and their playoff run. It's certainly a good plan in theory, but one that does not come without risks, considering the Dodgers are already approaching the point where their pitching depth could be questioned.

Not to mention, the hidden benefit to Snell's looming return was that it could finally force the Dodgers to take decisive action with Roki Sasaki. If you squint, you can see improvement from Sasaki since the start of the season, but not enough to the point that he should remain in the rotation. An outcome the Dodgers may have been forced into if Glasnow's injury were more concerning.

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