Tyler Glasnow’s return to the Dodgers came with the kind of mixed bag that still leaves plenty to like.
Los Angeles saw its six-game winning streak end against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, but Glasnow gave the club a strong reason to feel better about where things stand. In his first start off the 60-day injured list, the right-hander worked five innings and allowed three runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking none. The damage all came in the opening frame, when he needed 35 pitches to get through it.
After that, Glasnow settled in and looked far more like himself.
“I think just switching up a little bit,” Glasnow said on SportsNet LA when asked how he was able to get back on track. “I think I was pretty fastball-heavy the first inning, a little bit predictable. Not a ton of hard-hit balls, but it’s just how it goes sometimes.
“I think coming out in the second, I felt more in rhythm, slider was working a lot better and just felt a lot better.”
That adjustment showed up in the numbers. Glasnow struck out five straight batters at one point and used only 54 pitches over his final four innings. He finished with 15 whiffs, including 13 after that rocky first inning.
For Glasnow, Tuesday marked his first Major League start since May 6, when he exited an outing against the Houston Astros in the second inning because of lower back spasms. The rehab process was a long one, and he made it clear how much it meant to finally be back.
“It felt like a long time,” Glasnow said of his lengthy rehab process. “I think anytime you’re out that long, just doing rehab the whole time, it definitely sucks.
So it’s exciting to be able to get back. I’m glad my body is in a spot where I felt like I was before.
Glad I feel healthy and my stuff feels good.”
Before rejoining the Dodgers, Glasnow finished a rehab assignment that included four starts, where he went 0-1 with a 1.32 ERA and 20 strikeouts across 13.2 innings.
The Dodgers have only gotten eight starts from Glasnow this season, but the production has been there when he’s been on the mound. He’s 3-0 with a 3.02 ERA, 2.90 FIP, 0.87 WHIP and 11.3 strikeouts per nine in 44.2 innings. At 33, he has been every bit the impact arm Los Angeles expected, with the obvious catch being availability.
His return also nudged the Dodgers rotation closer to full strength. The next name they’re waiting on is Shohei Ohtani, who could potentially start as soon as Sunday against the Detroit Tigers.
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