Rays’ Glasnow out 6-8 weeks with oblique strain

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow will miss the start of the regular season because of an oblique injury that is expected to sideline the hard-throwing right-hander for six to eight weeks.

The Rays announced Tuesday that an MRI revealed Glasnow has a Grade 2 left oblique strain, an injury he reportedly suffered during a live batting practice session.

Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters that he “would book that right now” when asked whether Glasnow would miss the start of the season.

Glasnow still was experiencing soreness in the area Tuesday morning, according to Cash, who said the injury “bothers him to sneeze, cough.”

Cash noted that Glasnow’s early-season absence ultimately could prove beneficial to the Rays, who will have an easier time managing the injury-plagued pitcher’s workload this season.

“It gives us better workload management for him so he’s not yelling at me every time I take him out in the fifth inning,” Cash joked, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Glasnow, 29, underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2021 before returning and pitching in two regular-season games for the Rays in 2022.

He also made one start during Tampa Bay’s American League wild-card series against the Cleveland Guardians last season, getting the nod for Game 2.