MLB Rumors: 3 teams that dodged a bullet on Tyler Glasnow overpay
The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to dominate the offseason as they pulled off a deal just hours after Shohei Ohtani's introductory press conference ended, acquiring Tyler Glasnow and Manuel Margot from the Rays. While Margot can be a useful fourth outfielder, Glasnow was the deal's focus. He gives the Dodgers a frontline starter they desperately need when healthy. The key words there are 'when healthy'.
Glasnow set career highs with 21 starts and 120 innings pitched this past season for the Rays in what was his eighth MLB season. While it's nice to see him stay somewhat healthy, that's still less than encouraging. A team like the Dodgers can take the Glasnow risk with how stacked their roster is. They'd be a playoff team whether he's healthy or not. They made this move for the postseason, hoping Glasnow can be healthy when the games really matter. There's no doubting that when healthy, Glasnow is an ace.
While the Dodgers were right to make this move, there are other teams that were connected to Glasnow that should be thankful that the Dodgers stole him away.
3) The Braves are better off acquiring a pitcher for multiple years
The Atlanta Braves were one of several teams linked to a Glasnow trade, and it's not hard to see why. Atlanta could really use another starter. Spencer Strider and Max Fried at the top of the rotation are obviously great. Charlie Morton is a decent mid-rotation arm. Bryce Elder was an All-Star last year before he collapsed in the second half. The fifth starter spot is very up in the air.
Atlanta could turn to a prospect like A.J. Smith-Shawver, but with them trying to win now, they might be better off adding a proven arm, especially with Morton's age and Elder's inconsistency being real concerns. That's why the Dylan Cease rumors have been floating around for a while.
What's even more pressing is the future of this rotation. Fried is a free agent at the end of the 2024 season, and all signs point to him walking for a substantial amoutn of money. Morton, a pitcher who has flirted with retirement the last couple of offseasons, might just go through with it at the end of the 2024 season. Adding a pitcher with more than one year of control is what makes the most sense for this franchise.
Glasnow would help in 2023, but doesn't help the real concern which is their future rotation. Sure, he helps now that he signed the extension with the Dodgers, but there's no way Atlanta commits to a long-term deal to Glasnow with how injury prone he has been. It just never made sense from the start.