Injury woes continue for Dodgers' Tyler Glasnow

Two of the Los Angeles Dodgers' big arms in the starting rotation, left-hander Blake Snell and right-hander Tyler Glasnow, have failed to stay healthy. 

Regarding the latter, the Dodgers are likely to be without their All-Star for the foreseeable future, as Glasnow was transferred to the 60-day injured list Saturday.

“I think he wants to get cranking again,” manager Dave Roberts said, per the Associated Press, “but then the doctors just are not allowing for it and the body is not allowing for it.”

Glasnow had originally been placed on the 15-day injured list on May 8 with back spasms and has not been able to play catch since. The earliest Glasnow can return is August, but with his progress hindered and placed on the 60-day injured list, things don't look good. 

Dodgers add interesting arm to 40-man to compensate for loss of Tyler Glasnow

To compensate for the open spot on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers selected the contract of (and optioned) right-hander Nick Frasso, who will continue to pitch at Triple-A Oklahoma City. In 11 games in the PCL (Pacific Coast League), the 27-year-old has a 4.85 ERA, three holds and struck out 24. 

Frasso has not started a game this season with Oklahoma City, but has 50 starts under his belt, seven coming last season, with a 5.40 ERA. Frasso has no major league experience and will need to be stretched out as a starter if he is to fill a rotation spot for the Dodgers. 

This should help the Torrance, Calif., native, as he has had a walk problem this season — Frasso has walked 10 in 13.0 innings for a career high 6.9 walks per nine innings. 

Roki Sasaki has stepped up in the absence of Tyler Glasnow

If the Dodgers needed one pitcher to step up in the starting rotation with Glasnow going down, it was Roki Sasaki. After struggling through four starts in April (7.23 ERA and a .312 batting average against), the 24-year-old had a better showing in May and now in June. 

In five starts for May, Sasaki was 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA, had a 0.99 WHIP, a .208 batting average against and struck out 28 in 28 1/3 innings. In his first start in June, the native of Japan didn't allow an earned run, walked two and struck out 10 Los Angeles Angels batters on 98 pitches (72 strikes). 

With Glasnow set to miss more time than anticipated, and Snell still yet to make a rehab assignment, Sasaki needs to continue to pitch well to help his rotation mates. Right-handers Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.68 ERA), Shohei Ohtani (0.74 ERA) and left-hander Justin Wrobleski (2.62 ERA) have been the Dodgers' three best pitchers with Glasnow and Snell down.