Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow leaves start before 2nd inning with shoulder discomfort in win over Pirates

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow left Sunday's 9-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates after suffering an apparent injury while warming up for the second inning. 

Glasnow appeared to feel discomfort in his right arm as he threw his final warmup pitches. Following the second-to-last throw, he stretched out his shoulder and shook his arm out a couple of times. After his last warmup pitch, he appeared to be in pain as he stepped off the mound. (Though he likely would have stepped off anyway while catcher Austin Barnes made a throw to second baseman Enrique Hernández.) 

The right-hander then left the game, and the Dodgers soon announced Glasnow was feeling right shoulder discomfort. He finished his day allowing two runs on two hits (on back-to-back home runs by Andrew McCutchen and Enmanuel Valdez) and one walk. The Dodgers eventually won.

Sunday's game was the second consecutive start in which Glasnow left early due to injury. Glasnow pitched four innings a week ago against the Texas Rangers before leaving with an apparent ankle injury, but it was later announced the issue was lower leg cramps. 

Understandably, there was concern Glasnow might have suffered a more serious injury. But the 10-year veteran insisted he felt better after hydrating. Prior to Sunday's start, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Glasnow received an IV on Saturday and there was no concern about his ability to pitch. 

However, Glasnow's injury history brings anxiety to any issue he experiences. 

“[I’m] just making a lot of changes, trying to figure out a way to stay healthy,” Glasnow said, via The Los Angeles Times. “I think some of the changes led to other things kind of taking over, and I’m just at this point, I’m just trying to figure out what to do. It’s just extremely frustrating.”

He made a career-high 22 starts last season, pitching 134 innings, and made 21 starts (with 120 innings pitched) the year before with the Tampa Bay Rays. But in his previous eight seasons, Glasnow had never made more than 14 starts. (However, he did make 45 appearances in 2018.) He had Tommy John surgery in 2021.

Last season, Glasnow spent time on the IL with right elbow tendinitis and lower back tightness. In 2022, he was sidelined with a left oblique strain. In 2019, he was limited to 12 starts due to a right forearm strain. 

If Glasnow goes on the IL, he'll join starters Blake Snell (right shoulder inflammation), Tony Gonsolin (back tightness) and Clayton Kershaw (recovering from toe and knee surgeries). Relievers Blake Treinin and Michael Kopech are also sidelined. And Shohei Ohtani continues to work toward a return to the mound after undergoing elbow surgery in 2023.