Sept. 15—The news that Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow may be out for the season with a sprained pitching elbow will undoubtedly put additional pressure on Walker Buehler to return to contact in time for the postseason.
Buehler will take the field for the visiting Dodgers on Sunday night in Game 3 of a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Glasnow’s diagnosis before the Dodgers’ 10-1 loss to the Braves on Saturday.
Glasnow signed with the Dodgers this offseason after six seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, during which he went 27-16 with a 3.20 ERA. Los Angeles (87-61) has high hopes for him to be a key part of its playoff rotation.
Now, it could be Buehler or veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw who could 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 after eight weeks out with a right hip injury.
“He understands the opportunity to pitch in October isn’t just for him,” Roberts said before Buehler’s latest outing. “It’s not about how you feel or this or that. It’s about picking the best players to help us win in the playoffs. I’m looking forward to being one of them.”
Buehler allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings in a 10-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs last Monday before striking out and taking the loss.
Buehler admits it’s a step back, but with last month’s start, he feels he’s headed in the right direction.
“At the end of the day, I have to perform and I’ve been saying that for a long time,” Buehler said. “I have to perform for myself, but more so for my team. We’re trying to finish right here, whether I’m in the playoffs or not, or whatever it is, we have to be in the playoffs.”
Buehler is 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA in four career starts against Atlanta.
The Braves (81–67) had won the first two games of the series and were tied with the red-hot New York Mets for the final wild-card spot in the National League.
The Mets are 12-3 since Aug. 29, and the Braves are 8-7 during that span.
The Braves plan to start veteran right-hander Charlie Morton on Sunday.
Morton (8-8, 4.11) is 2-1 in his last five starts with a 2.86 ERA.
His latest loss came last Monday after he allowed one run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings in a 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
Morton said he doesn’t feel pain when he does his job but the offense goes empty, just as he doesn’t feel blame when he pitches poorly and the team loses.
“If I don’t make a good shot, I don’t feel like I’m being judged,” Morton said. “I feel like I have support. That makes things easier. That makes things easier to recover from.”
Morton made eight career starts against the Dodgers with a 1–4 record and a 5.31 ERA.
On May 3, he faced them in Los Angeles and lost 4–3 in 11 innings in a no-decision. He allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.
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