AL WILD CARD SERIES: RAYS VS GUARDIANS

October 7, 2022

Tyler Glasnow

Progressive Field

Tampa Bay Rays

Pregame Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Tyler?

Q. Especially just given everything you've been through to get back here how excited are you to be back pitching in the playoffs tomorrow?

TYLER GLASNOW: It feels goods. I think that was always the ultimate goal. I think early on that wasn't really in the cards and then progression was good and I had a lot of really good people with me, like trainers and coaches and everything, and the timing felt good, so now I'm here ready to pitch in the postseason.

Q. Was this a typical Rays planning to have you come back against Cleveland knowing that your playoff start would be here too?

TYLER GLASNOW: Wait, what? Say it again.

Q. That you pitched against Cleveland?

TYLER GLASNOW: Oh, yeah, it's good timing for sure. It was a nice way to line up. It's nice to be able to see 'em. I think having 'em be the first one in like a real big league game, just to get like the feeling of it, and then we're here again. It's good.

Q. Is there part of you that's still like, wow, this is actually happening, this all worked?

TYLER GLASNOW: No, not -- no, I don't know. Not really. Maybe when the season's over I'll be able to stop and think about it, but right now, I got to pitch. So I'm just trying to stay on the five-day like in the moment cliché, but it does make a lot of sense.

Q. The routine?

TYLER GLASNOW: Yeah, there you go.

Q. All along in this process you've been saying, well, if it works at the end, great, but it's got to be right every single time. It wound up being right every outing where you're feeling good. Was there a time like one, two, three starts in where you felt any different, that it wouldn't actually happen?

TYLER GLASNOW: I think early on there's always soreness. I think like post-throwing and not even off the mound, like when you start bullpens and stuff.

But I noticed the more I threw and the more intent I put behind it, it was almost like loosening up in my arm and I would get off the mound and be like tomorrow it's going to be sore. And I would make wake up and be like, wow, it's way better than it was before my bullpen. And it just kept progressing and progressing.

And Cash actually got Tommy John kind of the same time as me, so he's been like, yeah, man, I've been noticing when I warm up, and we've been shooting ideas off of each other. So he's been a good partner to have in this.

But it's gotten way better. I think for me too the biggest jump was comparing my arm now to what it was the last three years, and I was like way better than that, so it's easy for me now to put it behind me. And I think, given like the discomfort at times the past few years, it's night and day difference. So I feel really good.

Q. How mentally freeing has that been? Just because you talked about knowing you may have been pitching on a failing ligament for years leading up to that?

TYLER GLASNOW: In the moment, I don't know if there's much, I think with the adrenaline and everything, like I don't necessarily think about it in the moment. But I think week-to-week and being able to recover and lifting and throwing and stuff, it's not like this whole crazy thing I have to go through to be able to throw.

So it's definitely a lot easier to warm up and I think I'm able to be more consistent each day throwing. But, yeah, I would say like through my routine, it's a lot more mentally consistent.

Q. How much do you think your past playoff experience helps you in preparing for a playoff start?

TYLER GLASNOW: I think knowing what to expect when I go out there was sort of the biggest thing last time. And it's nice knowing, I think, in the back of my mind, knowing I have been in this situation like that a few times. It helps me to prepare.

I think too just like I'm a few years older, I have a few more like years of experience, I think like physically, just the stuff we were talking about before, I feel good. So that gives me a lot of confidence going in for sure.

Q. How does it feel to come back this season and mentally like you're going to play the postseason and also you have a big role with this team. How do you feel about everything?

TYLER GLASNOW: Good. It's nice just to be able to work hard and get back in the postseason, just help my team out and not just be around just in practice mode. It's nice to be able actually able to contribute to the team.

Q. Give us some thoughts on Cleveland's lineup, the unique challenges they present, maybe what you learned the last time when you pitched against them a couple weeks ago.

TYLER GLASNOW: Yeah. They're not like a huge swing-and-miss team. They're pretty disciplined. They can get to is stuff outside the zone. They're obviously fast too.

But I think for me it's just, as far as game planning goes, I'm going to pitch to my strengths and obviously meet with Kyle. We meeting on what to do with guys.

But they're a good team, they're scrappy, and I think it's one of those, there's certain teams you face that when you're pitching, you can tell their only goal is to score runs. It's like they grind together to try and put some runs together.

There's other teams where it's kind of whether it's home runs or just people free swinging. But this team you can tell they're like tight-knit. They feel like identical to us. But, yeah, they got a good team over there.

Q. Are there unique challenges when you're pitching against a team that is as aggressive on the base paths as they are? How do you try to control the run game?

TYLER GLASNOW: It's just normal stuff, like switch up looks and try to mix up pickoffs and everything like that. I think like looks and timing is probably the biggest thing.

I'm obviously not lightning fast going to home, but I think it's been something I've been working on and I'm a lot better at it now for sure with quick steps and everything like that.

Q. You said the idea was to come back for the postseason. What does it mean to see the reception from your teammates and how obviously everyone's welcomed you back?

TYLER GLASNOW: Yeah, it's good. I've been around for awhile, just the home games and stuff, so for me it hasn't felt that much different. It does feel different obviously not to contribute and play, but I think just being there all the time it doesn't feel like a huge shift. I tried to make sure I was like, even when I was hurt, trying to stay on that five-day, I guess, not exactly what it is now, but just so like the change wasn't so drastic. I think it's been a relatively easy thing.

But it's been nice. I can tell some guys are happy to have me back and it's just, it's good to be back.

Q. We assume that you do throw harder than Cash?

TYLER GLASNOW: I don't know. I haven't seen him really get on one. But I don't know. If I was a betting man I would say probably, yeah.

Q. Did he have any funny suggestions during the rehab when you were doing it together?

TYLER GLASNOW: No, but it was, honestly, it's hilarious. We would talk about the similarities and like, yeah, I've noticed when I do throw a couple in the beginning it's a little sore, then it loosens up. It was just funny having the conversation with him.

As time progressed too, it was like, when he was, what, 12 months out or whatever, he was like, it's still kind of, I don't know, and I was like, yeah, dude, it's a little tight. Now we've progressed and it's just like way better. So it's nice. I'm glad I had my Tommy John buddy.

Q. Does it mean anything in particular to you with the short series? Tomorrow will be either clinch or to keep the season going either way.

TYLER GLASNOW: What do you mean?

Q. Either you have the ball for a chance for a clinching game or it will be a situation where you're trying to keep the season going.

TYLER GLASNOW: I'm like aware of the situation. I just think for me, like it's, I always give the boring answer, but it's just like I'm trying to just approach it like another game. My five-day has been the exact same.

When I get on the mound it allows for the emotions to stay the same. I'm glad I get to be, they like have faith in me in that situation, you know.

Q. How excited are you watching Shane today and watching Game 1?

TYLER GLASNOW: Really excited. It's always great watching him pitch. Just being such a young dude with so much confidence and his ability to execute pitches has been pretty unbelievable. I think like when I was that age it was not easy. So it's like watching him, like with the confidence he has and he can repeat things better than most people I've seen. He's got like a four-pitch mix that he basically throws like 25 percent each pitch. It's insane to me.

So I'm rooting for him, obviously. I'm really excited. Even if it's 12:07 game. But what do you expect? That's kind of how it goes.

Q. We asked Frankie that. What time did you set your alarm and how weird was it?

TYLER GLASNOW: The late bus was 9. So I set my alarm at 8:40. Just get up, put my clothes on, put my head in the sink, wash my face and go. Yeah.

Q. Feel like spring training mode?

TYLER GLASNOW: A little -- not really. I tried to go bed early. It's tougher in season as you get on a routine of going to bed. But I actually fell asleep relatively normal, like 12, maybe a little later than that. Usually it's hard to fall asleep after games. It's good. You kind of come to expect Tampa/Cleveland that we're probably getting the first game. So that's my mindset going in. I feel good this morning. I had a good sleep. Tonight will be a good sleep as well.

Q. 9:07 in California.

TYLER GLASNOW: Yeah, I haven't been on that time in a long time. My family is, but it's fine. They're just watching.

Q. Mentally I think you're on California time still a lot.

TYLER GLASNOW: Yeah, maybe. Who knows. I will be in the off-season. But that's awhile away.