Photo: Getty Images
(via Tampa Bay Rays Communications) - The Tampa Bay Rays have signed right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow to a two-year contract extension through the 2024 season.
Glasnow, 29, has not pitched this season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, performed by Dr. Keith Meister on August 4, 2021. He left his start on June 14, 2021 at the Chicago White Sox after four innings due to injury. At the time of his injury, he ranked second in the majors with 123 strikeouts and ranked sixth in the AL with a 2.66 ERA (88-IP, 26-ER).
Through his rehab process, he began throwing from the bullpen on July 23 and progressed to live BP on August 20.
Since being acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 31, 2018, Glasnow is 17-9 with a 3.10 ERA (261.2-IP, 90-ER) in 48 starts with the Rays. Since his Rays debut on August 1, 2018, he ranks among American League leaders (min. 40 starts) in ERA (sixth), WHIP (1.00, third), opponents’ batting avg. (.190, second) and strikeouts per nine innings (12.18, fourth).
Glasnow made his first career Opening Day start on April 1, 2021 at the Miami Marlins and his only baserunner allowed in 6 IP was a 1st-inning infield single that left the bat at 76.1 mph. It marked the second scoreless outing for an Opening Day starter in franchise history, following Steve Trachsel (7 IP) on April 3, 2000 at MIN. He went 3-1 with a 1.67 ERA (37.2-IP, 7-ER) and 56 strikeouts in six starts during April, setting a single-season franchise record for strikeouts in April.
In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Glasnow led the team with 57.1 IP and ranked fourth in the AL with 91 strikeouts. In Game 2 of the ALDS against the New York Yankees, he recorded a Rays postseason-record 10 strikeouts. He started the decisive Game 5 on two days’ rest and faced the Yankees once through the batting order and did not allow a run or hit.
In 2019, he was placed on the injured list in mid-May with a right forearm strain and returned in early September. He was named AL Pitcher of the Month for April, though the winners were based on stats covering both March and April. He went 6-0 with a 1.47 ERA (43-IP, 7-ER) and 46 strikeouts in his first seven starts through May 3 and became the second AL pitcher since ERA became an official stat in 1913 to go 6-0 (or better) with a sub-1.50 ERA and 45 strikeouts (or more) over his first seven starts of a season, joining eventual Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox in 1991.
Glasnow made his major league debut in a spot start for the Pirates on July 7, 2016 at the St. Louis Cardinals, losing a 5-1 decision opposite Adam Wainwright. He was ranked by Baseball America as a Top 50 prospect in the minors for four consecutive seasons (2014-17), including No. 16 entering the 2015 season and No. 14 entering the 2016 season.
He was selected by the Pirates in the fifth round of the 2011 Amateur Draft out of William S. Hart (Calif.) High School, which also produced former Rays pitcher James Shields. He committed to the University of Portland before signing with the Pirates. He grew 11 inches between his freshman and senior years in high school and separated a growth plate in his right shoulder in the process. He was not in his high school rotation until midway through his junior season.
Photo Courtesy Of Getty Images