Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow has some of the best and nastiest stuff in Major League Baseball.
An elbow injury that ended up needing Tommy John surgery last June prematurely ended what was looking like a full-on breakout campaign.
His rehab extended well into the summer of 2022, and the Rays announced that he would return on Wednesday.
He did just that, and entered the game against the Cleveland Guardians.
It didn’t take long for him to captivate baseball fans with that incredible repertoire of his.
Tyler Glasnow, Hammer & Sword. ⚒️⚔️
I missed this. pic.twitter.com/UcQ9gkZNoM
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 28, 2022
When it’s on, Glasnow’s curveball is up there with the best in MLB.
It has sharp, unexpected, and pronounced vertical drop, and it’s very fast, too.
This one was good enough to make Guardians star Jose Ramirez, a top-ten player in MLB, look like a minor leaguer for a quick second.
He Will Function As A Starter
During his rehab assignment in the minor leagues, it wasn’t clear if the Rays would use Glasnow as a starter or as a reliever.
Judging by their Wednesday’s decisions, it’s pretty clear they view him as a potential option to start games during the postseason.
He took the ball to start tonight’s game, and at the moment of writing this piece, he had completed three innings with one run allowed.
His pitch count reached 50, which realistically puts him around a 65-pitch target for his next outing.
That hypothetical start would come during the last series of the regular season.
We saw last year what Glasnow could do as a starting pitcher: 88 innings pitched, a 5-2 record, a 2.66 ERA and a whopping 123 strikeouts with a 0.93 WHIP.
Tampa will give him the ball as long as he shows he is effective.
NEXT: Rays On The Verge Of A Familiar Feat
