When the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Tyler Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays during the offseason, it represented a homecoming, as the right-hander grew up in Southern California and was a fan of the team.

That was part of the reason why Glasnow called it a “no-brainer” to sign a five-year, $136.5 million contract extension with the Dodgers in order to facilitate the trade.

Glasnow attended several games at Dodger Stadium as a child and recalled watching Clayton Kershaw start on Opening Day. “I don’t think I’ve been to an opening day. I would just go randomly throughout the year, but obviously watch them all on TV and stuff,” Glasnow said.

“I was a little older, but watching Kershaw and stuff like that. Going back now, nostalgia kind of floods in, and it’s a really cool feeling.”

Kershaw has made a Dodgers franchise-record nine starts on Opening Day, including most recently in 2021. The future Hall of Famer re-signed with the team this past winter but won’t add to his Opening Day starts this year as he is going to be sidelined until at least the second half of the season.

Meanwhile, Glasnow gets to follow in Kershaw’s footsteps by starting the Dodger Stadium opener on Thursday.

Glasnow has already taken the mound for the Dodgers this season, as he limited the San Diego Padres to two runs over five innings in the Seoul Series on Opening Day.

Tyler Glasnow & Yoshinobu Yamamoto made Dodgers history

Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto made Dodgers franchise history by becoming the first pitchers to make their team debuts in the first two games of a season.

Glasnow individually became the first pitcher to start on Opening Day of his inaugural season with the Dodgers since Derek Lowe in 2005.