Dodgers' Glasnow has setback; Snell set for NanoScope procedure

SAN DIEGO -- The Los Angeles Dodgers received bad news regarding one of their frontline starting pitchers and what they hope will be good news regarding another.

Tyler Glasnow, who went on the injured list because of back spasms May 8, has been shut down from his throwing program after experiencing a flare-up, general manager Brandon Gomes said Monday.

Blake Snell, dealing with loose bodies in his pitching elbow, will undergo the same NanoScope procedure used on reigning two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, a surgery that is expected to yield a shorter recovery.

A typical arthroscopy to remove loose bodies usually requires a two- to four-month recovery, as is the case with Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz. But the NanoScope is a thinner tool utilized by noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache that makes the surgery less invasive and could cut the recovery time in half.

Snell's loose bodies were relatively small and clumped together, which ended up making him a good candidate for the less invasive procedure.

Skubal began playing catch just about a week after his surgeryMay 6 and is expected to return to the Detroit Tigers sometime in June. The Dodgers hope for something similar with Snell, who, similar to Skubal, is represented by Scott Boras.

"Obviously, we don't know 100% until they're in there," Gomes said before the Dodgers' 1-0 loss to the rival San Diego Padres, "but that's what we're expecting."

Gomes said there's "no concern long term" with Glasnow, but his timetable is nonetheless uncertain. His absence, when coupled with Snell being out at least a month and two pitching prospects, River Ryan and Gavin Stone, still working their way back from injuries, means the Dodgers will count on Eric Lauer to get some starts.

Lauer, 30, was a key cog for aToronto Blue Jays team that won the pennant last year, but he posted a 6.69 ERA in 36 innings this season and was designated for assignment last Monday. The Dodgers acquired him six days later for cash consideration and hope to get his velocity back on track.

The biggest reason he's in the rotation, though, is so the Dodgers can preserve their six-man rotation, which keeps Japanese pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and, most notably, Shohei Ohtani on a more familiar schedule.

"The biggest thing is making sure we're balancing winning as many games as possible but not panicking and throwing our process out of whack here," Gomes said. "Trying to balance the short and long term. This is a guy that's had a lot of success in the big leagues and somebody that we feel like we can get back to what he was last year."