The Los Angeles Dodgers came home from a tough six game road trip with a 3-3 record and while weather conditions seemed to play a factor in some of the losses and the young starters struggled, Tyler Glasnow really shined in his start in Minnesota.
Glasnow (3-0) mowed down the Twins for seven shutout innings with 14 strikeouts, tying a career-high and only allowing three hits on an efficient 88 pitches to help secure his third win of the season with the Dodgers.
In a rotation that’s still shaping up with Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone trying to find consistency, Walker Buehler’s much-anticipated return, and James Paxton providing stability on the back end, Glasnow has surpassed them all looking like the clear ace of this staff.
The acquisition of Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays over the offseason (and subsequent contract extension) was one of the first major moves the Dodgers made to restore some stability at the top of a rotation that was in shambles at the end of last season. Eventually, it got exposed in the 2023 NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks and was a big reason why the Dodgers were swept out of the playoffs.
Acquiring an ace like Glasnow was a priority and was supplemented by the mega-signing of Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year deal worth $325 million. Many believed Yamamoto would step in immediately and lead this Dodgers staff, but has needed time to adjust to his new team and to the league as a whole, while tweaking some of his mechanics.
Glasnow has come in and shown what he’s capable of when he’s healthy, which is one of the best pitchers in the league. Currently, he has a 2.25 ERA and leading the league in strikeouts with 29.
Even Twins manager Rocco Baldelli heaped praise on Glasnow after that 14 strikeout performance.
“If he’s executing his pitches the way he did today, he probably beats any team in baseball on any given night,” Baldelli said. “I don’t say that lightly. I don’t know if I’ve ever said that about more than two or three guys that I’ve really seen in the last few years.”
Let’s not forget Glasnow has been a front line caliber starter for years with the Rays and was a part of division titles and deep playoff runs, including a trip to the 2020 World Series against the Dodgers where LA eventually won the title.
If there are any knocks against Glasnow, it’s been his health in recent years. He sat out the majority of the 2021 and 2022 seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery, and last year he missed a few months with an oblique strain.
The other criticism and concern is his ability to perform in the playoffs. He’s made 10 starts in his postseason career (all with Tampa Bay) and has a 2-6 record with a 5.72 ERA and 1.49 WHIP, which also includes last year’s Wild Card round against the eventual champion Texas Rangers.
The fans and media might see that as a bigger concern, and it’s justified considering how many great Dodgers players have had their struggles in October in recent years, both at the plate and on the mound.
However, it’s a moot point if an ace like Glasnow or another star isn’t healthy in the most important month of the season.
While there is a long way to go until the fall, Glasnow is clearly trying to re-establish himself as a star pitcher in this game. Furthermore, he’s trying to prove he can handle the bright lights and attention that come with wearing Dodger blue while showing he is the ace of rotation.
So far, he’s doing just that.
