Dodgers' Tyler Glasnow situation is getting more and more bizarre

The Dodgers 'don't know' where their ace went after receiving distressing injury news.

Emma Lingan

Jun 22, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) walks to the dugout during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers received distressing news over the weekend when it was revealed that starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow is "highly unlikely" to pitch again this season due to a sprained right elbow.

Now, in an even more concerning development, Los Angeles' $136 million ace appears to be MIA.

After successfully dodging the media for two days since being scratched from his scheduled simulated game due to renewed discomfort in his elbow, Glasnow had cleaned out his locker Sunday at Truist Park in Atlanta, where the Dodgers were wrapping up a four-game series against the Braves. His whereabouts were unknown.

"I know he flew out," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said (via The Orange County Register). "I don't know where he flew to. But he's not with the team, no."

Well. Alright, then.

Roberts has since clarified that Glasnow's abrupt departure from the team in the middle of a road trip is, in fact, an "excused absence" that did not involve getting his elbow examined. Glasnow is expected to rejoin the Dodgers for their upcoming homestand beginning Friday against the Colorado Rockies.

#Dodgers Dave Roberts said he has exchanged texts with Tyler Glasnow. Emphasized it is "an excused absence." Roberts knows where he went. Didn't think it "needed to be public information." Will rejoin team in LA for homestand. Absence does not involve getting his elbow examined
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) September 16, 2024

Still, the whole thing feels very bizarre, and Glasnow taking off hastily without addressing the media certainly doesn't help the optics of the situation.

Tyler Glasnow's abrupt departure from Dodgers is latest wrinkle in distressing injury saga

It's possible that Glasnow's abrupt departure is a signal of frustration with the Dodgers amid an injury saga that at one point featured the club and pitcher disagreeing on what the best course of action was.

When Glasnow was first placed on the injured list on Aug. 16, the club said the diagnosis was right elbow tendinitis and that he would miss the minimum 15 days. Glasnow was unhappy with the decision, saying he felt fine and did not believe it to be necessary.

The ensuing events created a rollercoaster of optimism and defeatism regarding the likelihood of Glasnow's availability to pitch again in 2024. Every time he appeared to take a step forward in the rehab process, it would be followed by a step (or two) backward. Now, it's all but certain he won't pitch again this year.

We may never know where Glasnow is or why he left his team in the middle of a road trip. But his injury history combined with recent setbacks in his recovery would seem to indicate that his relationship with the Dodgers organization may have gotten frosty.

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Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). A native of Washington, D.C. and current resident of Nashville, Tenn., she is also entering her seventh season as a credentialed NHL media member and currently covers the NHL’s Nashville Predators for The Hockey News. When she's not watching hockey, baseball or football, she enjoys podcasting, reading, going to the gym, consuming large amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog, Minkah. You can follow her @Emma_lingan on Twitter and Instagram.