Dodgers’ Hopes Rest on Tyler Glasnow’s Shoulders as He Takes the Mound in Game 4
With the 21st pick of the fifth round of the 2011 draft, the Boston Red Sox selected a high school shortstop named Mookie Betts. The kid, as it turns out, plays a pretty mean shortstop. However, it’s another player from that draft who’s in the spotlight now – Tyler Glasnow, the pitcher selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the first pick of the fifth round. Fourteen years later, Glasnow is set to pitch his hometown Dodgers into the National League Championship Series, with Betts playing behind him.
For Glasnow, this opportunity is a dream come true. “It would be awesome,” he said. “Growing up, loving the team, being able to pitch for them now? It would be everything.” The Dodgers are also counting on Glasnow to deliver, as a win would eliminate the possibility of playing for their lives on Saturday in the hostile environment of Citizens Bank Park.
Glasnow’s Road to Game 4
Glasnow last made a normal start 19 days ago. Since then, he has pitched twice – an intentionally abbreviated three-inning start 12 days ago, and a relief appearance five days ago, in Game 1 of this division series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite the unconventional preparation, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is confident in Glasnow’s ability to perform. “I think he’s full go,” Roberts said. “It was nice to get him in there in Philly, but as far as kind of his buildup, I think it’s just a normal start.”
The Dodgers had opted for a different rotation strategy, with Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Shohei Ohtani as their top three starters. This meant juggling the rotation to keep Glasnow sharp, including a relief outing in Game 1. As catcher Ben Rortvedt noted, “He’s been starting the whole season. I don’t think a lot changes. He threw out of the bullpen, and I think that was the big challenge for him. He’s back to schedule, back to doing what he does. Looking forward to it.”
High Stakes for Glasnow and the Dodgers
It’s not entirely fair to judge a player by his salary, but Glasnow’s $136.5 million contract comes with high expectations. He made the All-Star team last season, but tendinitis in his pitching elbow kept him from pitching in the playoffs. In 10 postseason starts, all for the Tampa Bay Rays, Glasnow is 2-6 with a 5.72 earned-run average. His lone appearance against the Phillies this season was a rocky one, with five walks and five runs allowed in two-plus innings.
Despite these challenges, the Dodgers are counting on Glasnow to come through. As Steve Garvey, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Wednesday, said, “It’s time for Dodger championship baseball.” On Thursday, Glasnow can make sure it’s time for Dodger championship series baseball. The opposing pitcher, Cristopher Sánchez, will be looking to spoil the Dodgers’ plans, but with Glasnow on the mound, the Dodgers have a chance to advance to the NLCS.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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