Tyler Glasnow made his return from a back injury on Tuesday, pitching five innings and striking out seven batters against the Atlanta Braves. Despite allowing three runs in the first inning, Glasnow settled down to prevent further damage, a performance that manager Dave Roberts characterized as a sign of his development.
"Things that were really out of his control got to him more than they should have," Roberts said of Glasnow's past struggles with injuries. "He’s come of age. He’s kind of coming into his own right now."
Glasnow's recent resilience was first evident last October, when he pitched effectively through a shoulder injury during the Dodgers' postseason run, posting a 1.69 ERA in six appearances and even earning a save in Game 6 of the World Series. This consistency had previously eluded him over his decade-long career, during which he has not surpassed 22 regular-season starts.
"The game slowed down [for him]," Roberts observed about Glasnow's postseason performance. "Nothing spiked him. I think there was just a maturity in how he went about things. Coming out of the pen, something he’s never done really, certainly in the postseason, and performing the way he did. And then coming into this spring training, he just seemed like another level of confident that I just felt it was palpable."
Glasnow had a strong start to the current season, going 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA in his first six starts. However, his season was interrupted on May 6 when back spasms forced him from a game. While initially not considered serious, the discomfort lingered, leading the Dodgers to adopt a conservative recovery approach. Glasnow resumed throwing programs mid-summer and began a minor-league rehab assignment earlier this month, culminating in appearances with triple-A Oklahoma City where he recorded eight and nine strikeouts in consecutive starts.
Glasnow's return is particularly significant for the Dodgers as they prepare for the postseason. He could serve as a traditional starter or as a bullpen option, depending on the health of other pitchers, including Shohei Ohtani, who is being considered for a start on Sunday.
Despite the challenging first inning on Tuesday, which required 35 pitches, Glasnow's ability to regroup highlighted his improved mental approach. He struck out the side in the second inning and retired nine consecutive batters before stranding runners in the fourth and fifth. Although his pitch count led to an early exit, the outing provided a foundation for the remainder of the season.