Shohei Ohtani is still in the early stages of building up, but he’s joined the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation, and so too has Emmet Sheehan.
Meanwhile, the likes of Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell continue to make progress in their respective rehabs. For Glasnow, that amounted to pitching in a simulated game at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday.
He completed two innings and collected six strikeouts.
“Really good. I gave him a fist bump afterward, and just watching the two innings, it was pretty good. His entire mix, two innings, call it 40 pitches, command, execution, the stuff itself,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Glasnow’s second time facing batters since going on the 15-day injured list at the end of April.
That built upon Roberts previously saying he was “very encouraged” following Glasnow’s first simulated game, which comprised of just one inning.
But if there was one proverbial low point on Tuesday, it was giving up a hit to Dodgers broadcaster Jerry Hairston Jr. Hairston has participated in drills at Dodger Stadium over recent days as he prepares to play in the East-West Classic, a tribute to the Negro Leagues All-Star Games held from 1933-1962, which is being held Thursday at historic Rickwood Field.
“He’s going to have to deal with that,” Roberts deadpanned when asked about Glasnow giving up the hit to Hairston.
“There might be some permanent scarring on that one. I think if anyone in the organization got a hit, I wouldn’t want it to be Jerry Hairston. Blind squirrel.”
In addition to the results — Hairston’s single aside — Roberts also is encouraged by Glasnow’s ongoing work to refine his mechanics. That was among the areas he and the Dodgers hoped would be addressed during time spent on the injured list.
“I think right now, he’s certainly healthy. The delivery, the nuances of it, are a little different, but with my eye, I can’t see the difference,” Roberts said. “It still looks athletic, the throw he feels good with. So that’s the thing I’m most encouraged about. He’s worked hard.
“Training side, strength side, pitching coach side, to be in a good spot.”
Now having twice faced batters, the Dodgers are in the process of determining whether the next step for Glasnow will be another simulated game or advancing to start a rehab assignment.
“I think Tyler is in a good spot,” Roberts said.
Whenever Glasnow does begin a rehab assignment, it is expected to comprise of at least three starts with a Dodgers’ Minor League affiliate.
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