The news that Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow has a sprained pitching elbow and could be lost for the season will undoubtedly put additional pressure on Walker Buehler to regain his touch in time for the playoffs.
Buehler is set to take the mound for the visiting Dodgers in the third meeting of their four-game series against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Glasnow’s diagnosis before the Dodgers lost 10-1 to the Braves on Saturday.
Glasnow signed with the Dodgers in the offseason after spending the previous six seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, going 27-16 with a 3.20 ERA in that span. Los Angeles (87-61) had high hopes he’d be a key part of its postseason rotation.
Now, it will likely come down to Buehler or veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw to join Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty and rookie Landon Knack.
Buehler (1-5, 5.95 ERA) is 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA in five starts since returning from an eight-week absence because of a right hip injury.
“He understands that the opportunity to pitch in October is not just going to be given to him,” Roberts said before Buehler’s most recent outing. “It’s not about how you feel or this or that. It’s about taking the best players that are going to help us win in the postseason. I’m expecting him to be one of them.”
Buehler then went out and took the loss after allowing five runs and nine hits in five innings of a 10-4 defeat to the Chicago Cubs last Monday.
Buehler admitted it was a step back, but combined with his starts over the past month, he feels like he’s headed in the right direction.
“At the end of the day, I’ve got to perform and I’ve kind of said that for a long time,” Buehler said. “I’ve got to perform for myself, but more for our team. We’re trying to get to the end of a race here and, whether I pitch in the playoffs or not, or whatever, we need to make the playoffs.”
Buehler is 2-1 in four career starts against Atlanta with a 3.33 ERA.
The Braves (81-67) have won the first two games of the series to move back into a tie with the red-hot New York Mets for the final wild-card spot from the National League.
The Mets are 12-3 since Aug. 29 and the Braves are 8-7 in that span.
The Braves plan to start veteran right-hander Charlie Morton on Sunday.
Morton (8-8, 4.11) is 2-1 in his past five outings with a 2.86 ERA.
He most recently took the loss after allowing one run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 1-0 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds last Monday.
Morton said there’s no bitterness when he does his part but the offense comes up empty, just like he doesn’t feel blame when he doesn’t pitch well and the team loses.
“If I’m not pitching well, I don’t feel like I’m being judged,” Morton said. “I feel like I’m being supported. That makes it easier. That makes the hard ones a little bit easier to bounce back from.”
Morton has made eight starts against the Dodgers in his career and is 1-4 with a 5.31 ERA.
He faced them on May 3 in Los Angeles and did not receive a decision in the 4-3 loss in 11 innings. He allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.
–Field Level Media
