With the twenty first choose of the fifth spherical of the 2011 draft, the Boston Pink Sox chosen a highschool shortstop named Mookie Betts. The child, because it seems, performs a fairly imply shortstop.
With the primary choose of the fifth spherical of the 2011 draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates chosen a Hart Excessive pitcher named Tyler Glasnow.
Fourteen years later, with Betts enjoying behind him, Glasnow on Thursday will get the possibility to pitch his hometown Dodgers into the Nationwide League Championship Collection.
“It would be awesome,” Glasnow mentioned. “Growing up, loving the team, being able to pitch for them now?
“It would be everything.”
For Glasnow, sure, but in addition for the Dodgers.
It could remove the opportunity of the Dodgers enjoying for his or her lives on Saturday, amid the deafening decibels of Residents Financial institution Park.
And it will vindicate the Dodgers’ technique of all however mothballing an elite beginning pitcher for nearly three weeks after which handing him the ball and asking him to win them the division collection.
Glasnow final made a standard begin 19 days in the past.
He has pitched twice since then: an deliberately abbreviated three-inning begin 12 days in the past, and a aid look 5 days in the past, in Recreation 1 of this division collection towards the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I think he’s full go,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “It was nice to get him in there in Philly, but as far as kind of his buildup, I think it’s just a normal start.”
In equity to the Dodgers, that they had no concept this could lastly be the yr they might have a full home of wholesome and efficient starters on the finish of the season, as an alternative of originally.
They opted for Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani as their high three starters. The wild-card spherical solely lasted two video games, and Glasnow is beginning Recreation 4 of the division collection.
That meant juggling the rotation so the highest three can be prepared for the wild-card spherical, and giving Glasnow an outing in aid to maintain him sharp.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers throughout Recreation 1 of the NLDS towards the Phillies on Saturday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Instances)
“He’s been starting the whole season,” catcher Ben Rortvedt mentioned. “I don’t think a lot changes. He threw out of the bullpen, and I think that was the big challenge for him.
“He’s back to schedule, back to doing what he does. Looking forward to it.”
It isn’t fully honest to guage a participant by his wage, however that’s what you join while you play for the Dodgers, who traded for Glasnow two winters in the past after which awarded him a contract for $136.5 million. He made the All-Star staff final season, however tendinitis in his pitching elbow stored him from pitching within the playoffs.
It additionally will not be fully honest to guage a participant by his postseason outcomes, however that too is what you join while you play for the Dodgers.
In 10 postseason begins — all for the Tampa Bay Rays — Glasnow is 2-6 with a 5.72 earned-run common.
In his lone look towards the Phillies this season, Glasnow pitched two-plus innings, strolling 5 and giving up 5 runs.
The opposing pitcher that day is the opposing pitcher Thursday: Cristopher Sánchez, with the Dodgers one win from a berth within the NLCS.
The Dodgers invited Steve Garvey to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday, and after that to ship the ritual phrases that precede each house sport.
Garvey inserted a phrase into Vin Scully’s trademark phrase.
“It’s time for Dodger championship baseball,” Garvey mentioned.
On Thursday, Glasnow can ensure that it’s time for Dodger championship collection baseball.
