LOS ANGELES — Tyler Glasnow was fully awash in Dodger Stadium culture on Thursday, from the intensity of the crowd at a home opener to the challenges Paul Goldschmidt offers no matter the uniform.
Glasnow made his first home game with his hometown team one to savor when he gave up one run on two hits over six innings to earn the win in their 7-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals after pitching five solid innings in the season-opening victory against the San Diego Padres last week in Seoul, South Korea.
“The perspective of being on the mound was unique,” Glasnow said of being the pitcher in a game at Dodger Stadium instead of being in the stands as he was in his youth. “Normally you watch guys warm up before the game and then getting to warm up (as a player) and then going out on the mound, it was extremely special.”
The run support came in bunches as Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman hit home runs, as the mainstay duo continued to develop its partnership with Shohei Ohtani. The top three in the Dodgers’ order went a combined 5 for 8 with six runs scored and four RBIs.
Glasnow, a Hart High graduate, was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade just before Christmas and he is proving to be just the gift the Dodgers needed at the top of the rotation.
That Glasnow has fashioned a 2.45 ERA in two starts with plenty of room for improvement, has made the Dodgers even more optimistic for the road ahead. The team’s two victories in three games this season have come when he has been on the mound.
“I think the thing that is most impressive is that he hasn’t had his best stuff yet – and those are his words; not to be arrogant,” Manager Dave Roberts said. “But even in Korea, his delivery wasn’t synced up with his big body. And today, there were a lot of good throws, but just (without) the command he’s gonna have and I’ve seen on video, and he still is pretty dominant. That, for me, is the takeaway.”
The only blemishes on Glasnow’s otherwise fulfilling day came from Goldschmidt, who had the only two hits off of him. A Goldschmidt single to right field in the first inning was followed by his home run to left in the fourth.
Goldschmidt’s third hit came in the ninth inning against Ryan Yarbrough, giving him all of his team’s hits in the game.
Goldschmidt’s 34 home runs against the Dodgers, as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cardinals, are his most against any club. His 19 home runs at Dodger Stadium are tied for his most at a visiting ballpark, while also hitting the same number at Cincinnati.
Consider Glasnow fully initiated now.
When he was locked in Thursday, the 6-foot-8 right-hander was using two versions of his slider for success. He had 13 swings and misses, with eight of them on the slider. A hard-breaking version was used to finish off strikeouts, while a subtler one was offered when he needed to be in the strike zone.
“I think, for the most part, (the slider) was probably my best pitch and then heater, curveball wasn’t that great until the end,” Glasnow said. “But I think, for the most part, I was able to throw strikes and stay in the zone.”
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Catcher Will Smith was in the bullpen as Glasnow warmed up before the game, and if the pregame ceremony was spiking the right-hander’s adrenaline, Smith said it wasn’t visible.
“I didn’t see any nerves out there or anything,” Smith said. “He went out there and competed and put up a really good start.”
After two starts, Smith’s suspicions on Glasnow’s ability have been fully confirmed.
“Yeah, he’s really good,” said Smith, who agreed to a 10-year, $140 million contract extension on Wednesday. “He’s fun to catch and I’m glad he’s with us and I don’t have to face him at some point this year.”
Not only is Glasnow starting to reveal how much of a force he can be, he’s showing you really can go home again.
“I had a lot of people here today and it’s good to be home, for sure,” he said.
“It’s great to be a starting pitcher behind a lineup like that.” Tyler Glasnow on the #Dodgers electric offense and his #OpeningDay experience. pic.twitter.com/MOmP3SC7LL
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) March 28, 2024
Facing Tyler Glasnow is like … pic.twitter.com/piYregfZUJ
— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2024