Sandwiched between the signings of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to respective record-setting contracts, the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a blockbuster trade to acquire Tyler Glasnow along with Manuel Margot from the Tampa Bay Rays.
Glasnow was signed to a five-year contract extension worth $136.5 million as part of the trade. He already was under contract for the 2024 season at a $25 million salary, so the extension effectively added four years and an additional $111.5 million to take the right-hander through the 2027 season.
The Dodgers are counting on Glasnow to pair with Yamamoto in leading a revamped starting rotation. He’s gotten off to an encouraging start in Spring Training with bullpen sessions and on Friday advanced to facing hitters in live batting practice on a backfield at Camelback Ranch.
According to Juan Toribio of MLB.com, that entailed Glasnow pitching to Mookie Betts, whom he struck out on a curveball, and saw his fastball velocity nearly reach 100 mph:
#Dodgers Tyler Glasnow punches out Mookie Betts on a nice curveball pic.twitter.com/YwZGgT1rXK
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) February 16, 2024
Tyler Glasnow casually pumping 98-99 mph in his first live BP of the spring https://t.co/BjSY5PoBBN
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) February 16, 2024
Although Glasnow has a checkered injury history, he and the Dodgers have expressed confidence elbow and other issues are behind him.
Since making his MLB debut in 2016, Glasnow has only managed to throw 100 innings in a season twice. The first instance came in 2018 with 111.2 innings, and the second was last year at 120.
Glasnow did not make his 2023 debut until May 27 due to a left oblique strain he suffered in Spring Training, but otherwise managed to remain healthy throughout the year. Glasnow finished the season 10-7 with a 3.53 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 1.08 WHIP and 12.2 strikeouts per nine in 21 starts.
Tyler Glasnow recalled Clayton Kershaw memories
As a Southern California native, Glasnow spent a good portion of his childhood attending games at Dodger Stadium. That made the trade to the Dodgers all the more exciting and it evoked memories for Glasnow of watching Clayton Kershaw pitch.
With Kershaw re-signed, the two now get to be Dodgers teammates and potentially part of the same starting rotation later this year.
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