Glasnow comes from an athletic family. His father played water polo and his mother is a retired gymnast. He also has an older brother Ted who was a decathlete for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

In 2011, Tyler grew a foot in high school and really came on as a senior.

In 2011, the Pirates drafted Tyler (see Transactions below).

In 2013, Baseball America rated Glasnow as the 19th-best prospect in the Pirates organization. But he was moved all the way up to #3 in the winter before 2014 spring camps opened.

They had him as the #1 prospect in the Pirates organization in both 2015 and 2016. Then he was back at #3 in the offseason before 2017 spring training.

Tyler has some very big feet. He wears a size-17 spikes.

He was nicknamed "Baby Giraffe." That's because of his rather clumsy ways early-on.

In 2014, Glasnow was named the Pirates' Minor League Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season. 

The Pirates brought Tyler to big league camp in 2015 to show him something about a Major League environment. Instead, the 21-year-old right-hander has been showing them something.

"Impressive stuff. The ball comes out of his hand as hard as anybody out there," said veteran catcher Chris Stewart, who has caught Glasnow's bullpens and has also faced the 6-foot-8 righty in batting practice.

"Not a fun at-bat. He gets on top of it and drives down, and the ball is coming down on an angle and moving, cutting away."

"The young man is improving incrementally, daily," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He's picking up something every day."

"It's been good, just getting to sit around and watch what [the Major Leaguers] do," Glasnow said. "It's been a good experience. And I'm feeling good . . . a lot better than where I was at this point last year. I've got my mechanics down to where I feel comfortable, and now it's just a matter of staying consistent with [them]."

"He's still focused on getting ready for his season, wherever he might be," Hurdle said. "I'd only seen him on video -- this is the first time I got to work hands-on with him. The biggest thing is that he got acclimated to this Major League culture. This environment hasn't overwhelmed him. He is in a very good, competitive place."  (Singer - mlb.com - 3/1/15)

MLB debut (July 7, 2016): Glasnow recorded five strikeouts in his big-league debut, but he couldn't keep pace with Adam Wainwright as the Pirates fell 5-1, ending their winning streak at seven.

Glasnow's first start was decent, though far from great. He was a bit wild in the first inning, but generally avoided the walk issues that have plagued him at Triple-A this season. As expected, he leaned heavily on his fastball (which ranged from 91-97 MPH) and his curve. He breezed through the second and third innings, but struggled a bit after that, mostly because he repeatedly caught way too much of the zone with his breaking ball.

A poorly placed curve on an 0-and-2 count in the fourth led to a triple by Aledmys Diaz, followed by a run on a wild pitch; another miss on a curveball in the fifth led to a Randal Grichuk solo homer. (Charlie Wilmoth)

September 2016: Glasnow was chosen as the 2016 MLBPipeline.com Pitcher of the Year.

Tyler played with Rodarrick Jones only briefly in the minor leagues, a handful of games in the short-season, New York-Penn League with the State College Spikes back in 2012. But Jones left a lasting imprint on the 6-foot-8 pitcher—two, in fact.

Jones grew up in Louisiana and Glasnow in California, just north of Los Angeles. They bonded over a mutual love of rap music, although Jones teased Glasnow that given their very different backgrounds, Glasnow couldn’t possibly love it as much as Jones.

So one offseason, Glasnow visited a tattoo artist, and on the inside of his lower lip he had two words drawn: "NO JUICE," the name of a song by Lil Boosie. And on the bottom of his right foot, he had the face of the rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard added. Jones burst out laughing when Glasnow told him what he had done.

You cannot see either tattoo unless Glasnow curls his lip or takes off his shoe. The ODB image has faded over time, under the weight of his 220 pounds.

As Glasnow detailed the background of his tattoos, he mentioned that when he first told his Mom about the body art, she had exclaimed that at the very least nobody could see them.

"Until today," Glasnow said with a laugh. (Buster Olney - ESPN - 5/28/2017)

Feb 11, 2019: Everyone is excited for the start of Spring Training, but not everyone can express their excitement with quite the same enthusiasm as Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow. Tyler is literally flipping out about the start of Spring Training. Yes, you're seeing that right: That's the 6-foot-8 Glasnow executing a backflip with the grace of the baseball's pre-eminent flipper, Ozzie Smith, without even a running start!

Now, we haven't seen Glasnow attempt such acrobatics on the actual baseball diamond. There is some precedent for pitchers flipping on field. Remember Aroldis Chapman's somersault save celebration?

Perhaps we'll see something like this from Glasnow after striking out the side this season. Or maybe we'll see him use his circus-like reflexes and athleticism to field a comebacker like Zack Greinke once attempted. There should be ample opportunity for the 25-year-old right-hander to show off his athletic party trick in 2019 with the Rays. As a pitcher in the American League, Glasnow doesn't have many opportunities to bat flip. He seems to be happy to settle for backflips instead. We'll take it. (J Shusterman - Cut4)

His nickname is “BABY GIRAFFE.”  Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon was the first person to call Glasnow by the nickname, which he believes still applies.

“I got called Mini Horse and Baby Giraffe,” Glasnow said. “They were both my favorite nicknames. If I had to choose one, I think Baby Giraffe is the more accurate one.”

Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow's interesting method to motivate himself:  Jeff Passan of ESPN shared some interesting, funny, weird news regarding the Tyler, and he just became one of my favorite baseball players in the league.

According to Passan, Glasnow used to look at a picture of Martin Shkreli prior to his starts to help him get angry. I can’t remember the last time I had such a good laugh about an MLB player. It is funnier than it should be because Tyler seems like such a friendly and unharmful guy. So it's hard to imagine.

Who is Martin Shkreli? First things first, Shkreli has been described as “one of the most hated men in America” by The Big Lead. That should be enough of an introduction. I will be honest, I had no idea who he was until reading Passan’s tweet. But now I want to save a photo of Shkreli on my phone just like Tyler Glasnow. C’mon, just look at his smirk in the picture.

Shkreli’s name circulated the news in 2015 when his pharmaceutical company purchased Daraprim, an anti-malarial and anti-parasitic drug. And as you may know, “Big Pharma” draws a lot of controversy over monopolization through intellectual property laws. Shkreli was one of those problems.

The drug used to cost $13.50 per pill, but he jacked up the price to $750 per pill overnight. At the time, no generic drug existed, so there were no cheaper options. He was questioned before Congress and did not answer any questions. Apparently, he smirked the entire time, which made him such a hated person. (Ryota Nishino - Dec. 22, 2020)

Imagine you're taking a nice summer stroll through New York City's Washington Square Park.  You go by the big fountain, the giant arch, and then, when you pass by the chess plaza, you recognize someone pretty famous casually playing at one of the tables.  Someone who had just pitched seven innings against the Yankees in the Bronx the night before.

It's Rays ace Tyler Glasnow.  Like, what?  An MLB pitcher just playing chess in the park on a Wednesday afternoon? Apparently, according to MLB.com's Adam Berry, it's something Glasnow has always done when he visits the Big Apple. 

"Every time I'd come to New York before COVID, I would always go to Washington Square and play chess and stuff like that," Glasnow told Berry back in April.  "I used to live down there in the offseason.  I was there for like parts of three years. So, I was in like Chelsea in the West Village, so I'm kind of familiar with that area. And I would just go to the park and get beat by all the chess players, but it was still fun.”

Victor Fucci, who lives nearby the park, popped in to take a photo with Glasnow.  "He put on his Instagram story that he was playing chess," Fucci told me.  "I live like 5 [minutes] from Washington Square Park so I left to meet him.  He's one of my favorite players.  I had to say hi."

As some people and fellow teammates pointed out on Twitter, Glasnow was getting beaten by his opponent.  Fucci, a player himself, agreed Glasnow was in trouble when he came over to watch.  But the Rays right-hander seemed focused on making a comeback.

"He seemed kind of surprised I came up to him," Fucci said.  "I think he just wanted to play and learn more about chess. He had a notebook and was trying to take notes and learn more from the guy he was playing."

That checks out with Berry's interview from a couple months ago.  Glasnow said he's a decent player but prefers to go against people who are better than he so he can learn more and improve.  He also enjoyed the Queen's Gambit and has been playing for, well, nearly as long as Bobby Fischer.  "I've played for a lot of years and stuff," Glasnow said.  "I was in chess club in elementary school.”  (Monagan - mlb.com - 6/3/2021)

Who is Tyler Glasnow's girlfriend, Brooke Register? 

Brooke was born on February 25, 1994, to Greg and Cynthis Register. She also has a sister named Kellan Elizabeth. Brooke graduated from Oviedo High School, where she was also a part of the soccer team.

According to Brooke, she was quite tomboyish and did not like modeling at first. However, she soon grew a knack for the profession and decided to become a professional model.

Since then, she has worked for various modeling agencies like Elite Model Management and Storm Models, for which she had to move to London at 19 years old. She was also represented by Major Models of New York.

Tyler and Brooke first met in 2015 and have been in a relationship for a couple of years. The couple often shares their relationship through images posted on their Instagram accounts. Moreover, they also have a lot of pictures together while attending MLB games.

Tyler said that he called up Brooke right after he got the news that he had been selected by the Pirates. (Arka Mukherjee-May 27, 2023) 

Tyler’s homeostasis is delicate, a balance of extremes. He is 6-foot-8 yet built as if each of his limbs has been stretched out. He pushes off sentimentality yet memorializes his love for rap music with hidden tattoos: one on his inner lip and another on the bottom of his right foot. His tantalizing stuff led the Dodgers to trade for him and give him a nine-figure extension this spring — but injuries throughout his career have meant he’s never topped 120 innings in a season.

The Dodgers are paying Glasnow to be an ace and named him their Opening Day starter for their series in Seoul, South Korea before he’s even thrown a pitch in their uniform. Glasnow is the potential superstar manager Dave Roberts called “cerebral” and who seeks precision. Then there is Glasnow who has the same routine each day before heading to the ballpark, and each night before going to bed. He will sit, focusing on his breath, on a center in his mind, and find his home in meditation. It’s a practice that began nine years ago while at Double A in the Pirates’ system. What started as a suggestion from his uncle, Wade, to address the stresses of being a minor leaguer became a ritualistic part of everything the now-30-year-old does. 

The divergent nature of the two ideas, embracing analytics yet immersing himself in something that removes such parameters, is not lost on him.

“I think it’s like a diagnostic thing,” Glasnow said. “You kind of have to go the other way a little bit. It just kind of brings you back to even.”

The meditation practice is a separator. Do it before going to the ballpark, and Glasnow is a baseball player again. Do it when he gets home, and Glasnow can allow his mind to roam.

“I’m a little squirrelly,” Glasnow said, his eyes darting around. The routine, he said, serves as his lodestar. “I think I’m a pretty obsessive perfectionist, so it’s kind of like finding what works for you to, for me, kind of go the other way. Kind of turn that off.” 

That body control, at his size, is something Glasnow manages well. He grew up skateboarding and watching the likes of Antwuan Dixon and Andrew Reynolds. It was gymnastics where Glasnow best demonstrated how uncharacteristically nimble he is for someone his size. Just ask some of his new teammates, who watched with shock as he was one of the few players who easily executed a handstand like his new, 5-foot-10 rotation mate, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Combine that with strength and the stability the Dodgers want him to have on the mound, and it’s a “three-headed dragon” that Glasnow is looking to maintain. (Ardaya - Mar 19, 2024 - The Athletic)

 Tyler Glasnow’s “baller” move snagged him a girlfriend

They didn’t see him take home a W, but last night Tyler Glasnow’s parents and girlfriend Meghan Murphy were in the crowd, and Dodgers play-by-play man Joe Davis recounted the absolute baller move that Glasnow pulled to meet his sweetie of three years.

 According to the story, Glasnow and Meghan got acquainted during his time with the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s told the story before, but this might have been the first time it’s been mentioned on the SportsNet broadcast. Here’s how he recounted the story to the LA Times Mike DiGiovanna:

“I saw a girl who was kind of cute, so I had our team photographer zoom in on her — this just sounds very weird — but she was wholesome, with a girl-next-door look,” Glasnow said. “So I wrote my phone number on a ball, threw it to her and told her to text me. She came to the next game, threw me a ball with her number and told me to text her.

“I didn’t think anything would come of it, but then I met her, and she was awesome. She has a really good personality, loves to travel and is really fun, so it’s super easy. That was the first time I’ve ever thrown a ball to someone [with my phone number on it], too. And I still don’t think she believes me.” (Steve Webb - May 11, 2024) 

June 11, 2024: One of the toughest pitchers to square up:  Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers (19.6%)

This is a bigger achievement than it seems for Glasnow, who is a Cy Young Award contender in his first season with the Dodgers. No one, obviously, has ever doubted his talent or skill; it’s instead been his health that’s held him back. But last year with the Rays, he did have a bit of an issue with allowing loud contact, which has cleared up a little with the Dodgers. Again, we don’t have 2023 data to compare to, but Glasnow appearing on a list like this would seem like a good indication he’s found a way to keep hitters guessing enough to prevent that squared-up contact. Maybe it’s the new sinker. (M Petriello - MLB.com - June 11, 2024) 

As a boy pitching on Little League fields in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Tyler Glasnow fixated on missing bats.

“Ever since I was a child,” Glasnow said, “any time I ever touched the mound, I just wanted to strike everyone out.”

Glasnow, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, grew to be taller than almost all of his teammates, with longer limbs but less control of his frame. An at-bat should not last longer than three pitches — a mantra that was harder for someone like Glasnow to apply. When he tried to be precise, bridling his body to control the location of his pitches, he lost his command. He was better served, he realized, trying to throw the baseball past the opposing batter and through the catcher, as hard as possible, as fast as possible, every single time. 

He did not need soft contact if the hitters never made contact. In his mind, he conjured up a new ideal to chase.

“The perfect inning for me,” Glasnow said, “is nine pitches, nine strikes, three strikeouts.”

The simple concept Glasnow grasped as a child has come to reshape the game he plays as an adult. An obsession with generating spin and velocity led to a reliance upon illegal foreign substances which led to a 2021 crackdown on “sticky stuff” which some players — including Glasnow — believe ultimately led to an uptick in arm injuries. (McCullough - Jun 24, 2024 - The Athletic)

July 2024: Glasnow was selected to the All-Star Game. 

TRANSACTIONS

June 2011: The Pirates chose Tyler in the 5th round, out of Hart High School in Santa Clarita, California. He signed with scout Rick Allen for a bonus of $600,000 in order to keep him away from a scholarship to the University of Portland. 

Hart High School also produced future big leaguers Bob Walk, James Shields, and Trevor Bauer.

July 31, 2018: The Pirates obtained RHP Chris Archer from the Rays in exchange for outfielder Austin Meadows, P Tyler Glasnow, plus a PTBNL.

Jan 10, 2020: Tyler and the Rays avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $2 million.

Jan 10, 2020: Tyler and the Rays avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $4 million.

March 22, 2022: Tyler and the Rays avoided arbitration, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $5.1 million.

Glasnow is making $5.1 million this year. He will get $5.3 million next season and $25 million in 2024, which is the first year he would have been eligible for free agency.

Dec 15, 2023: The Dodgers acquired RHP Glasnow and outfielder Manuel Margot in a four-player swap with the Rays. The Rays received RHP Ryan Pepiot and OF Jonny DeLuca.

The Dodgers also negotiated a five-year, $135 million extension with Glasnow, which includes a $10 million signing bonus this year and has a $30 million club option for 2028. If the club declines the option, Glasnow can exercise a $20 million player option. There is no deferred money.

Glasnow has a 93-99 mph FASTBALL that grades almost at the top-of-the 20-80 scouting scale -- 70 or 75. He also has a 2-seam 91-96 mph 2-seam SINKER. He also has a very good (at times) hard, sharp-breaking 78-81 mph CURVEBALL (rated a 60 or 65), and a good 88-90 mph CHANGEUP (a 45 or 50) he has confidence in. 

"I have to be able to get my curveball over the plate and I have to be able to throw it in counts that aren’t curveball counts," Tyler said. 

As of the start of the 2017 season, Glasnow had allowed a career .172 opponents' average in 500 minor league innings. Walks, however, have been a major problem for Tyler.

He has work to do with controlling his curveball, but if he finds consistency with it, he is going to be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher. Like most tall pitchers, consistent mechanics are tough to accomplish. But he gets hitters to chase it more and more often. (Spring, 2017)

2019 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 67.8% of the time; Change 3.2%; and his Curve 29% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 97.6 mph, Change 93.2, and Curve 84.1 mph.

2020 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 59.2% of the time; Change 4.2%; and his Curve 36.6% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 97.6 mph, Change 91.9, and Curve 83 mph. 

2021 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 51.6% of the time; Change 2.5%; Slider 32.4%; and his Curve 13.5% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 97.3 mph, Change 91.7, Slider 87.8, and Curve 83.8 mph.

2023 Season Pitch Usage/Avg. Velo: Fastball 45% - 96.6 mph; Slider 33.5% - 90 mph; Curve 21% - 84 mph.

Tyler has to improve his command. It rates a near-50 on the 20-80 scouting scale, which is big league average. He needs more consistency and feel for throwing strikes. At times, he simply can't find the strike zone, missing high and low, arm-side and glove-side.

Tyler uses his long wingspan to his advantage, getting good extension on his pitches and giving batters the sense that the ball is dropping right down upon them.

In 2013, Tyler was able to make adjustments on his own for the first time in his career. He listened and learned from West Virginia Power pitching coach Jeff Johnson, who has taught the young hurler about the need to throw every pitch with a purpose. In the process, he has discovered how to set up hitters and what to throw in certain situations.

By the end of the 2013 season, Glasnow was showing more and more ability to process what’s going on in his delivery.

“The control he has over his body, he looks light on his feet. He’s very athletic,” West Virginia manager Michael Ryan said. “If he throws a pitch and he doesn’t like the way it feels, he’s getting to the point where he knows what went wrong.

“His control has improved dramatically. He’s pitching down in the zone more, which makes him all that more effective. He gets excellent extension in his delivery. Thatleaves hitters with little chance when he throws strikes with his heater.

2014 Season: Glasnow was chosen as MLBPipeline.com's 2014 Pitching Prospect of the year. Working on mental adjustments to go after hitters more at the urging of pitching coach Justin Meccage, Glasnow was in the zone much more in the second half (3.4 walks per nine innings) than he was in the first (5.4).

Tyler led the Florida State League in ERA, WHIP (1.05) and opponent average (.174). The last mark led the entire minors, as Glasnow overwhelmed opponents.

2015 Season: His three-pitch mix can make Glasnow a potentially elite starting pitcher. His best pitch is his fastball, an elite offering that sits in the low-to-mid 90's and is capable of touching as high as 99 at times. The pitch can get late movement, and overall can simply overpower hitters at the minor league level. His ability to command the pitch can suffer at times, but this seems to be more an issue with his release point and potentially trying to reach back for a little more velocity.

His second-best offering, a nasty curveball, is thrown in the high 70's to right around 80 MPH and has some rather evil downward break. When he commands the pitch well, it can be absolutely devastating in combination with the fastball (see below). There have been concerns about his ability to throw the pitch consistently for strikes, as opposed to being a chase offering. This is something that the Pirates have had him working on, and early reports seem to be positive.

His third pitch, a changeup, lags behind the first two in terms of development, and actually didn't seem to throw very many.If it develops into the average offering that many believe it can be, it can make him that top-tier starting pitcher. Reports on the pitch have improved with each year.

His stuff is already dominating. When he commands it better, he will be overwhelming.

In 2016, Glasnow was recognized by MLBPipeline.com as the Pirates' prospect of the year. He was also named the MLBPipeline.com minor league pitcher of the year.

The Pirates are wanting Tyler to improve his control so that he can become a #1 or #2 starter. Other organizations believe Glasnow will be a dominant reliever, due to his lack of control.

In his big league debut season of 2016, Glasnow went 0-2, 4.24 in seven games, including four starts, in his debut. That followed an impressive 20-start performance at Triple-A Indianapolis in which he went 8-3, 1.87 ERA in 110.2 innings with 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage believes Glasnow, a 2011 fifth-round pick out of high school in Santa Clarita, Calif., became too analytical when he reached Pittsburgh. He concentrated more on attacking hitters’ weaknesses rather than pitching to his strengths, which include a high-90s fastball and hammer breaking ball.

“That’s all he’s got to do—trust his stuff because he’s got talent out the yin-yang,” Searage said before 2017 spring training.

On the next-to-last day of 2017 Spring Training, the Pirates announced Tyler was going to Pittsburgh as their #5 starter. But inconsistency within the strike zone got Glasnow a return to the minors.

At the minor league level, there’s a lot that he can get away with because Triple-A hitters will chase fastballs out of the zone and curveballs that bounce before the plate. Major league hitters don’t do that and he ends up racking up monster pitch counts and falling a part.

Glasnow will figure it out someday, but it may take more and more time. (January, 2019)

2018 Improvements: Glasnow made his Spring Training debut and showcased the electric arsenal that too often went missing during his first extended Major League stint. His fastball reached triple digits and sat consistently between 97-98 mph. His curveball looked like a strikeout pitch, especially in the first inning. His changeup was harder than expected, but he was able to throw it for strikes.

Speed might be a theme for Glasnow this spring. He felt his delivery was slow early last season, when his fastball averaged 94 mph and he posted a 7.45 ERA in 12 starts before being sent down to Triple-A. Since then, he has focused on being quick and athletic and staying on a straight line toward the plate. And the high-end stuff that made him a top prospect has returned.  (Adam Berry - MLB - Feb. 26, 2018)

Tyler tinkered with a slider in the Minor Leagues, but he reached the Majors on the strength of his high-octane fastball and swing-and-miss curveball. But he found himself looking for another weapon.

In 2018, Glasnow decided to embrace the natural cut on his fastball and tweaked his grip accordingly. During afternoon throwing sessions with reliever Kyle Crick, he rediscovered his slider. He started throwing the pitch from the same angle as his fastball and came away pleased with its spin, movement and accuracy. Pitching coach Ray Searage and assistant pitching coach Justin Meccage gave Glasnow the green light to use it in a game. 

Glasnow unveiled his slider in the Pirates' 6-5 win against the Cardinals on April 27, 2018. He figured he'd mix in one but wound up throwing six as he struck out four over three efficient, scoreless innings—perhaps as dominant as he's looked in the big leagues.

"I've been kind of playing with it in the throwing program and on the mound," Glasnow said. "It's one of those things, a breaking pitch that I can throw for a strike a lot easier than a curveball and kind of have two pitches for a put-away. It put me in a good spot."

The slider was on display against Kolten Wong, the final batter he faced in the eighth inning. Wong swung and missed at consecutive sliders, with the last one taking a late, sharp drop in the strike zone.

"He had good command of it, and he threw it for strikes and got some swing-and-miss with it," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "It's something off the fastball and it's something off the curve, so it is a different variety. To have three weapons, he's going to need that."

In 8.2 innings over his past three outings, Glasnow has allowed three runs on six hits and five walks while striking out 12. After a rocky rookie season in 2017, he believes he is benefiting from a fresh start in the bullpen.

"Last year, I didn't really feel like I contributed much," Glasnow said. "You kind of come into the clubhouse and you sit around like, 'We're not in a good spot, we're not winning a lot and I'm not really contributing at all to help the team.' Even if I'm going into blowouts and stuff like that, I just think I'm in a better position now to help my team win. It's just a reassuring feeling."  (Berry - mlb.com - 4/29/18)

2016 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 62.3% of the time; Change 2.5% of the time; and Slider 35.2% of the time.

2017 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 41.9% of the time; Sinker 22.7%; Change 12.4% of the time; and Curve 22.8% of the time.

2018 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 70.5% of the time; Change 1.7%; Slider 1.1%; and his Curve 26.7% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 97.4 mph, Change 92.4, Slider 86, and Curve 83.9 mph.

2019 Improvements: Glasnow is hoping to build off a positive 2018, but his delivery is going to look a little different this season.

Hoping to remain more consistent in the strike zone, while also trying to contain the opposing team's running game, Glasnow and pitching coach Kyle Snyder worked on getting the 6-foot-8 pitcher to be just a little bit quicker to the plate. (Juan Toribio- MLB.com-Feb. 16, 2019)

March 2, 2019: Rays right hander Tyler Glasnow’s second start of the spring had a few more hitches than he intended. Glasnow allowed three earned runs on two hits and a pair of walks in an 11-3 loss to the visiting Phillies. Of Glasnow’s 40 pitches, only 18 were for strikes.

Glasnow has been testing out a new delivery this spring in which he double pumps his lead leg after a brief hesitation before he flings his 6-foot-8 frame toward the plate. Not only has the modified delivery added a new wrinkle to throw off a hitter’s timing, it has also resulted in an uptick in velocity for the already hard thrower. Glasnow retired the side in order in the first inning, including throwing a 99 mph fastball past Phillies leadoff man Scott Kingery for strike three.

 “For me, the main focus is how I feel going through my motion, and it’s still feeling really good,” Glasnow said. (S Butherus - MLB.com - March 2, 2019) 

May 3, 2019: One day after being named AL Pitcher of the Month for April, Tyler started to make his case for the month of May.

Glasnow became the first six-game winner in the Majors thanks to a dominant performance in the Rays’ 7-0 victory over the Orioles at Oriole Park. The tall right-hander mixed his high-90s fastball with a curve and a changeup that kept the Orioles off-balance during the game and had people shaking their heads after it was over.

“He just picked up right where he left off ... and was just tremendous for us,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s on a really good run. It’s impressive. It’s fun to sit and watch him. He just continues to impress.”

Glasnow improved to 6-0 on the season and leads qualified AL pitchers in ERA, with his dropping from 1.75 entering the game to 1.47 afterwards. Glasnow has yet to give up more than two runs in any of his seven starts. (J Seidel - MLB.com - May 3, 2019)

Oct 9, 2019: First came the hits. Then came the texts. By the time Rays starter Tyler Glasnow was pulled in the third inning of a 6-1 loss to the Astros in Game 5 of the ALDS at Minute Maid Park, the damage had been done. But Glasnow had a sneaking suspicion that something was askew when the ‘Stros opened the bottom of the first inning with five hits and four runs before they made their second out.

“I came back to my locker,” Glasnow said, “and I had about 9,000 texts about it.”

“It” was one of a pitcher’s worst nightmares: the dreaded tell. Glasnow said he has occasionally fallen into a pattern of a higher glove height when setting his hands before throwing a fastball and a lower glove height before throwing his curveball. This time, that small issue showed up on the big stage and became a big problem. As soon as Glasnow saw the texts, he watched the video from his start.

“It was pretty obvious,” he said. “That’s what hurts the most. Just something small like that can make such a big difference. I’m not trying to make the excuse. I don’t know if they had it or didn’t, but from what I could see, it was pretty obvious.”

Glasnow had his usual 98-mph velocity and good movement on his curveball. But an Astros team that had been uncharacteristically quiet in this series jumped him.

George Springer led off with a single on a four-seamer. Michael Brantley laid off a tempting curve that dived below the zone, then ambushed a 1-1 fastball in the lower third for a single. José Altuve, ordinarily aggressive on first pitches, watched a curveball that hit the bottom edge of the zone for strike one, then swatted a 98-mph fastball above the letters for an RBI single. Alex Bregman was all over a 1-1 curve that he ripped for a two-run double. And Yuli Gurriel smacked an 0-1 curve to score Bregman on a single.

Four runs on five hits. This all happened in the span of 17 pitches. After Bregman crossed the plate, he could be seen whispering to Carlos Correa, who was waiting on deck. Hitting coach Alex Cintrón could be seen making motions to his hitters, pointing to his eyes and holding his left hand like a glove.

“I don’t know if they had it or they didn’t,” Glasnow said. "I don’t know if it would have been any different if they didn’t. But to me, it was pretty obvious.” (A Castrovince - MLB.com - Oct 11, 2019)

March 30, 2020: Why Tyler's curve is so nasty: 8.1 inches of horizontal movement above average.

Unfortunately, we only got to see 12 regular-season starts from Glasnow in 2019 due to injury. But when he did pitch, he showed us just how great he can be. And his curveball is a big reason why. His curveball had an average spin rate of 2,907 rpm, ranking fourth among starting pitchers to throw at least 250 curves last year.

Forty-five of the 76 strikeouts Glasnow got last season were on his curveball — that’s 59% of his strikeouts. Through May 10, the date of his last start before an extended injured list stint, Glasnow had 37 strikeouts on his curveball — second in the Majors behind his teammate Morton, who had just one more than Glasnow. To that point, he had a 33.6% put-away rate on the pitch, the highest of any pitcher to throw more than 100 two-strike curveballs. That means when he threw a two-strike curveball more than a third of the time that batters struck out.

Glasnow induced a 43.9% whiff rate on swings against his curve, which ranked seventh-highest among starters to get at least 50 swings against their curves in ‘19, and was far above the Major League average whiff rate on curveballs of 31.9%. No matter what stats you look at, the message is pretty clear: good luck hitting a Glasnow curveball. (S Langs - MLB.com - March 30, 2020)

April 2, 2020: Due to a mild right forearm strain, Glasnow was limited to 12 starts in 2019, but that was all anyone needed to see in order to understand why he was once the No. 1 prospect in the Pirates’ organization. Powered by his 6-foot-8 frame, Glasnow produces incredible extension, limiting the amount of time hitters have to react on any particular pitch. That’s not good news for hitters when Glasnow delivers a high-90s fastball or a curveball that has an average spin rate of 2,907 rpm, fourth among starters that threw at least 250 curves in ‘19.

Glasnow jumped onto the scene early last season, winning AL Pitcher of the Month in April, and was well on his way to earning his first All-Star selection. In fact, during the first six weeks of the season, Glasnow was arguably the best pitcher in the AL. If Glasnow stays healthy, he could become the next ace for a Rays organization that is known for its stellar pitching. (J Toribio - MLB.com - April 2, 2020)

May 2020: CBSSports ranks the 3 best curveballs in MLB:

1) Charlie Morton     2) Sonny Gray     3) Tyler Glasnow

Tyler has an about 8-foot wingspan, and Glasnow uses just about every inch of it as he comes downhill toward home plate. On its own, Glasnow’s 96.9 mph average velocity on his four-seam fastball tied Jacob deGrom for the third-fastest among qualified starting pitchers (min. 500) in 2019. But you also have to factor in Glasnow’s average of 7.6 feet worth of extension that he gets from the pitching rubber toward home plate before he even lets go of his heater, which led all big leaguers last year (for context, deGrom checked in at a 6.9-foot average extension, Gerritt Cole at 6.3 feet).

This is similar to what you used to hear about Randy Johnson: It was hard enough to time up his high-90s heater, but even more so because it seemed like he was coming out to touch home plate by the time he released it. The difference is that while the Big Unit dropped down to a nearly sidearm angle, Glasnow is much closer to straight over the top, keeping his heat on a steep downward plane.  (Kelly - mlb.com - 7/31/2020)

Oct 6, 2020 - Game 2 of ALDS: 

Glasnow began his outing with some added adrenaline. The right-hander threw a 101 mph fastball to Aaron Judge and a 101.4 mph fastball to Aaron Hicks in the first inning, the fastest recorded pitches of his career and the fastest recorded by a non-opener starting Rays pitcher since data became available in 2008. His eight pitches of 100 mph or faster are the third-most by a starter in a postseason game since 2008.

The right-hander used his powerful fastball and his wipeout breaking ball to strike out 10 Yankees hitters, surpassing teammate Blake Snell to set a new franchise postseason record. Snell struck out nine in the Game 1 win over the Blue Jays in the Wild Card Series. The Rays have won each of Glasnow’s past 10 starts.

“With Glasnow, I mean he was just locating his fastball,” Hicks said. “By doing that, it just makes his curveball that [much] more effective. That’s pretty much throughout their whole pitching staff tonight.”

Glasnow’s outing appeared to set the tone for the Rays’ pitching staff. The fact that the right-hander was able to give the Rays five-plus and exit with the lead allowed Cash to shorten the game with the team’s best bullpen arms. Diego Castillo took over in the sixth inning and began his outing with back-to-back strikeouts of Luke Voit and Giancarlo Stanton. (J Toribio - MLB.com - Oct 7, 2020)

Oct 13, 2020: Just over a year ago, Tyler stepped out to the mound in Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Astros and gave up four first-inning runs, raising some eyebrows. After the game — a season-ending loss — Glasnow said he believed he was tipping his pitches, a problem that he dealt with earlier in his career and one that resurfaced at the most inopportune time.

“It was one of those things that after that start, I went into thinking in the offseason,” Glasnow said. “Once I started throwing, I was tentative on [the changes], and once I got into spring with hitters and stuff, I think that was a big time to really make a change.”

With the tipping situation believed to be resolved, Glasnow said he’s looking forward to starting Game 4 of the AL Championship Series against the Astros at Petco Park. However, the excitement won’t come due to Glasnow seeking revenge for what happened last October.

“It’s a new season,” Glasnow said. “I haven’t thought about last year at all. I just approach it like every other start. I really haven’t thought about it too much.” (J Toribio - MLB.com - Oct 13, 2020)

2020 Season: Glasnow went 5-1 in 11 regular-season starts in 2020. The 6-foot-8 right-hander was 2-3 during the postseason, including a pair of losses in two World Series outings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. (AP - Dec. 8, 2020)

Snyder said Glasnow is working out in California and wants to add another pitch to his repertoire. “If we’re able to land a 93-mph cutter and to increase the change-up, it’s just going to force the hitters’ hands that much more. I’m anxious to see what he’s capable of with a full, healthy season.”

2021 Improvements: Rays starter Tyler Glasnow is among those, adding a slider/cutter that could expand his repertoire from dynamic, with his top-shelf fastball and sweeping curve, to dominant.

Glasnow said his offseason work, as well as initial consultations with pitching coach Kyle Snyder and high-tech analysis, have been promising.

“It’s just kind of a cutter/slider thing, something that I’ve been messing with,” Glasnow said on a Zoom call after Thursday’s initial workout for pitchers and catchers in Port Charlotte. “We’ve been kind of going into the lab and, (using) all the advanced, kind of like analytical stuff, it’s easier to formulate a third pitch and what I need to do, how I need to position my hand to throw it and everything. (Marc Topkin - Feb. 18, 2021)  

March 1, 2021: Glasnow brings 100, unveils his new toy. Rays righty mixes in cutter-slider hybrid with customary hard stuff in his 2021 spring debut.

Glasnow mostly threw fastballs against Minnesota, mixing in three curveballs, one 92-mph changeup (taken for a called strike by Trevor Larnach in the second inning) and a few more of his newest toy -- the cutter-slider breaking ball that clocked in around 86-87 mph. That’s much closer to his curveball (82-83 mph) than his fastball in terms of velocity, but it’s a different look for hitters to consider. (A Berry - MLB.com - March 1, 2021)

April 12, 2021: Glasnow went out and gave the Rays more, setting personal bests by striking out 14 over 7 2/3 innings in Tampa Bay’s 1-0 win over Texas at Tropicana Field. He joined Jacob deGrom as the only pitchers to strike out 14 in a game this season. It was a career night for the 27-year-old right-hander -- an elite performance by one of the game’s most talented pitchers.

“I don't know how much more dominant you can be,” Cash said afterward.

Glasnow only allowed two hits and a walk while falling one strikeout short of tying the Rays’ single-game record held by Chris Archer and James Shields. He set a Rays record in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008) by forcing the Rangers to swing and miss 27 times, surpassing the previous high mark of 26 set by Blake Snell on May 12, 2019.

Glasnow got some help from Phillips, who made a spectacular catch in the second inning and another in the fifth.

“Besides that catch and the routine fly ball I made out in left-center, I could have put a lounge chair out there and just put my head back and maybe got like a water or something and watched him do his thing,” Phillips said. “That's how impressive it was playing behind him.” “I think my eyes are seeing the same thing y’all’s eyes are seeing,” Phillips said. “It’s just pure dominance, and he just looks locked in.” “It was just unbelievable. It was not even fair,” said shortstop Willy Adames, who homered in the seventh off lefty Taylor Hearn to give Glasnow the only run support he needed. “If he doesn't win the Cy Young, he’s going to be [at least in the] top three if he continues to do that.” (A Berry - MLB.com - April 12, 2021)

Tyler Glasnow Once Threw a Three-Finger Fastball. Tyler Glasnow deliverers his high-octane fastball with a standard four-seam grip. That hasn’t always been the case. Back in his Little League days, the Tampa Bay Rays right-hander relied on an extra digit when throwing a baseball.

“I used to throw my heater with three fingers on top,” explained Glasnow, who at 6-foot-8 has grown exponentially since those formative years. “One time I was throwing to one of the coaches with my three-finger grip, and he was, ‘Whoa. That’s weird. Try throwing with two fingers.’ I did, and I think the movement got a little better, and I threw it a bit harder, but I couldn’t throw it for strikes. So I stayed with that three-finger approach for a little bit — a four-seam grip with three fingers — and then as my hands got bigger, I went to two fingers.”  (David Laurila - October 24, 2021)

2021 Season: He needed Tommy John surgery in June 2021.  Before this season, Glasnow boasted an upper 90s fastball with a curveball and change up mix. Going into 2021, he added a devastating slider that helped raise him into an top level starter.

In 88 innings, Glasnow had an era of 2.66 and his K/9 of 12.6 and WHIP of 0.93 would have ranked top 5 in all of baseball. Standing at 6’8", he not only looked the part this past season, but he pitched like the ace he had been touted to be.  ( Josh Jacobs - Dec. 19, 2021)

July 7, 2023: Glasnow's second inning marks the first 4-strikeout inning... ... of the 2023 season ... since Chris Martin (RP, LAD) in Aug 2022 ... by a SP since Domingo Germán in Jul 2021 It is, however, the second of Glasnow's career. (Ahaan Rungta)

2023 Season: Another injury, this time an oblique issue, prevented him from making 2023 debut until the end of May. Glasnow made 21 starts this season, and in 11 of them he threw at least five innings with one or zero earned runs allowed.

Three times this season he struck out at least 11 batters, including a season-high 14 in six innings vs. Boston in September. For the season, he finished with 162 strikeouts in 120 innings, with a solid 3.53 ERA and 2.91 FIP. (Ryan Fagan - Oct. 26, 2023)

Controlling the running game is a priority for Glasnow. He has been doing things to keep runners guessing, like throwing over to first base or varying his hold times.

Ultimately, he needs to speed up his delivery, because he's slow to the plate and mechanical in his move to first base. He worked on that in bullpen sessions, but carrying that to the game can be challenging.

In 2014, Tyler allowed 75 percent of Florida State League base-stealers to succeed. And it was worse in 2015, as all 11 runners who attempted to steal were successful in the Eastern League. And only 3 of 13 guys were nailed at Triple-A Indianapolis.

Glasnow is not a very good fielder. Because of his size, he is slow getting off the mound.

Opponents bunt on Tyler. His slow times to the plate and lack of a pickoff move were exposed at the Major League level in 2016.

April 3-25, 2014: Glasnow was on the D.L. the first three weeks of the season.

May 6-June 2015: Tyler was on the D.L. with a sprained right ankle that he suffered sliding into second base.

July 24-Aug 28, 2016: Tyler was on the DL with right shoulder discomfort.

May 11-Sept 8, 2019: Tyler was on the IL with mild right forearm strain.

June 15, 2021: Tyler was on the IL with right elbow sprain. He was later diagnosed with a partially torn UCL and a flexor strain in his throwing arm.

Glasnow had an MRI in Chicago, a day after exiting the Rays’ 5-2 win over the White Sox due to right elbow inflammation. Tampa Bay said that a timeline for Glasnow’s return will be determined after further medical evaluation. He is scheduled to visit Dr. Keith Meister who will perform the operation.

Aug. 4-Nov 5, 2021: Glasnow underwent Tommy John surgery to address the partially torn ulnar collateral ligament and flexor strain in his throwing arm. 

March 17-Sept 28, 2022: Glasnow, working his way back from Tommy John surgery, underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right ankle.

Feb. 28-May 27, 2023: Glasnow will miss several weeks after an MRI revealed a Grade 2 left oblique strain.

July 6-24, 2024: Tyler went on the IL with lower back tightness.

July 9, 2024: Glasnow's back tightened up while playing catch, according to manager Dave Roberts. With the All-Star break coming up, the Dodgers don’t expect Glasnow to miss more than just one start.