The Dodgers knew the risks that came with acquiring talented but injury-plagued pitcher Tyler Glasnow last offseason. On Saturday, after the latest setback in his late-season elbow injury, they finally had to grapple with the worst-case scenario.
Glasnow’s season almost certainly is over because of an elbow sprain, manager Dave Roberts announced, calling it “highly unlikely” that the $136.5-million winter addition will be able to take the mound again for the Dodgers this year.
“It’s a big blow,” Roberts said. “Looking at what he meant for our ballclub, what he’s done for us, what we expected him to do, certainly there’s going to be a cost.”
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When Glasnow was healthy, he performed like the ace-caliber pitcher the Dodgers were confident he could be. In 22 starts, he went 9-6 with a 3.49 earned-run average. He set career highs in innings (134) and strikeouts (168). He earned a selection to the All-Star Game for the first time in his nine-year career.
What Glasnow couldn’t do, however, was stay healthy, another injury-plagued campaign cut short after he felt discomfort in his elbow Friday warming up for a simulated game.
“I feel bad for Tyler,” Roberts said, noting that while Glasnow’s ulnar collateral ligament hasn’t been damaged, the sprain in his elbow will keep him from throwing “for a while.”
“He did everything to stay healthy and get back,” Roberts added. “It just wasn’t going to happen.”
When the Dodgers traded for Glasnow and signed him to a five-year extension, they did so understanding the risk that came with the flamethrower’s lengthy injury history.
The 31-year-old repeatedly was sidelined by elbow injuries during his time with the Tampa Bay Rays, failing to top 14 starts in a season before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021.
Glasnow also missed time because of other ailments, including an oblique strain at the start of last year. That’s why he hadn’t surpassed 120 innings in a season, and why, when he discussed his goals for in spring training, he said “I just wanna stay healthy … and make all my starts.”
Back then, Glasnow was optimistic that surgery had put his elbow problems behind him. The Dodgers voiced similar…