MLB
Dodgers pitcher credits gluten-free diet for injury free season
Rookie Dodgers right hander Landon Knack has been an outlier in a bullpen wracked with injury and he credits his new diet with the success.
Landon Knack leans back in his locker, the California sun dipping behind Dodger Stadium, casting long shadows across the field. He’s one of the few pitchers left standing after a season riddled with injuries. The Dodgers, known for their depth, have seen some of their biggest arms sidelined. But not Knack. The rookie, unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight, hasn’t just survived the grind of his debut season - he’s thriving.
“It’s probably the best I’ve felt all year,” Knack says with a shrug, like he can’t quite believe it himself.
The secret? He claims it’s the diet. And not just any diet, but one that cuts out gluten and sugar. In a sport where players obsess over mechanics, velocity, and recovery, Knack has found his own edge in something much simpler: what he puts into his body.
“I just avoid gluten and sweets,” he explains. “When I do need something sweet, I try to go for the healthy stuff.”
It’s a tough regimen to stick to, especially on the road, where ballparks and airports offer little more than fast food and concession stand fare. Knack isn’t immune to the temptation, but he’s managed to stay the course.
“Obviously, when you travel as much as we do, you’re going to eat some bad stuff from time to time,” he admits, flashing a grin. “But overall, you try to stay as consistent with that as possible.”
That consistency, he believes, is what’s kept him on the mound while others have fallen. For Knack, staying healthy isn’t just about avoiding the disabled list - it’s about longevity, about waking up every day and feeling good enough to do what he does best. And in a season where injuries have ravaged the Dodgers’ rotation, his durability has been a godsend.
“I think it’s been a big part of the reason we’ve been able to sustain ourselves this year,” he adds. “We’ve been so consistent with the routine and the regimen of things.”
Knack doesn’t boast about his dietary discipline; there’s no pretense in the way he talks about it. Just the quiet certainty that what he’s doing works. And the results speak for themselves. Healthy. Strong. Pitching deeper into games than most expected.
As he laces up his cleats for the next game, you can see it - the quiet confidence, the knowledge that he’s found something that works for him. And in baseball, sometimes that’s all you need to keep going.