On Friday, he was set to take the next big step in his recovery from an elbow injury.
Hours before the start of a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, the team’s injured right-hander took the field to begin warming up for a scheduled mock game in which he was set to face batters for the first time since going on the disabled list last month with elbow tendinitis.
Manager Dave Roberts, pitching coach Mark Pryor and other members of the team’s training staff and front office were in attendance and watched the team warm up by pitching from the outfield and the bullpen mound.
Several Dodgers hitters were also ready to practice, sitting in the dugout with bats in hand and helmets on.
But just as the two-inning workout was supposed to begin, Glasnow’s recovery process suddenly changed.
The pitcher came out of the bullpen and walked back to the clubhouse instead of to the mound.
According to Roberts, Glasnow told the team he still had “discomfort” in his arm after throwing about 20 pitches in warmups, derailing his highly anticipated plans to take the mound in a live game.
“He didn’t really explain anything,” Pryor added, “just said it wasn’t good. He didn’t feel like it should be made public.”
Indeed, rather than crossing a key item off his rehab to-do list, Glasnow experienced what Roberts called a concerning “setback” that only deepened questions about his status at the end of the season and his chances of making the postseason.
“Not pitching today is certainly a concern and a red flag,” Pryor said. “We’ll review it tomorrow and get some more information. It’s possible that it’s a temporary hiccup and he’s able to continue in the game. But it’s also possible that it’s not, and that would obviously be devastating.”
The 31-year-old All-Star has been sidelined since Aug. 11 with his second injury of the season (Glasnow also missed July with a back injury) and has been on a fast track to return before the start of the playoffs.
Last month, he was suspended for a week after experiencing discomfort while playing catch.
He’s looked to be on a roll recently after two promising bullpen sessions, but Friday’s developments could close the door on his already dwindling window of opportunity for a return.
“I don’t know if I can afford it anymore,” Pryor said. “It’s a shame.”
When healthy this season, Glasnow has mostly lived up to the frontline expectations after being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays this winter and signing a five-year contract extension.
In 22 starts, he was 9-6 with a 3.49 ERA. His 168 strikeouts were the best record on the team. His first eight seasons in the MLB were interrupted by injuries, but his 134 innings pitched were also a career high.
But after returning from a back injury shortly after the All-Star break, Glasnow struggled to replicate the consistency he had early in the season, and after pitching seven innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 11, he suffered an elbow injury that was initially expected to sideline him for two weeks.
Yet nearly a month later, the chances of Glasnow being back in time for the playoffs remain unclear and are looking increasingly unlikely.
Roberts said the club will “reevaluate” Glasnow’s status in the coming days, and he could undergo further tests to see if the severity of the injury worsens.
But even before Friday, it was clear that Glasnow couldn’t afford any more setbacks if he wanted to return before the end of the regular season and be anywhere near full health for the start of the playoffs.
now?
“It’s certainly not helpful or positive,” Roberts said of how the cancellation of Friday’s simulated game could affect Glasnow’s return timeline. “We’ll see how he is tomorrow. It’s not completely out of the question. I thought we made the right decision today. If he’s not healthy enough to continue, there’s no point in forcing him to play today.”
