LOS ANGELES -- Tyler Glasnow was placed on the injured list because of what the Los Angeles Dodgers described as back spasms Friday, one day before fellow frontline starting pitcher Blake Snell is set to be activated for his season debut.
Snell began the season on the injured list because of lingering fatigue in his left shoulder but has made three minor league rehab starts, most recently completing four innings for the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate on Sunday. His return, which will last no more than five innings against the visiting Atlanta Braves on Saturday, will coincide with his bobblehead night.
Glasnow exited his Wednesday start in Houston because of pain in his lower back after warming up to begin the second inning. His stint on the IL, one the Dodgers were hoping to avoid, is expected to be minimal. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said an MRI on Glasnow's back showed "nothing really significant."
For now, Glasnow's absence delays a difficult decision for the sixth and final spot in the Dodgers' rotation, with Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki all vying to remain. Wrobleski has been by far the best performer of the group, going 5-0 with a 0.56 ERA in five starts. But the Dodgers could also use him as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen, a path toward allowing all three to remain.
The Dodgers could face another difficult roster decision as early as Monday, when star shortstop Mookie Betts could rejoin the lineup after a five-week absence because of an oblique strain. Betts is scheduled to play in rehab games with the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate Friday and Saturday, and he could choose to rejoin the major league roster thereafter.
His return will force the Dodgers to choose between infield prospects Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland and veteran offseason signing Santiago Espinal, who is out of options. Espinal has played sparingly, while Kim (.314/.372/.429 slash line in 78 plate appearances going into Friday) has outperformed Freeland (.253/.330/.363 in 105 plate appearances).
The Dodgers could keep Espinal so that one of their young infielders plays more regularly in the minor leagues.
"We're going to have some hard conversations," Roberts said. "But fortunately, we don't have to have those until he does come back. And as we've seen, things can change quickly."
