Dodgers right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow was placed on the 15-day injured list two weeks ago with tendonitis in his right elbow. At the time, the right-hander said the ailment was “nothing out of the ordinary for me,” according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. But things have seemingly gotten murkier since then. Over the weekend, manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Glasnow’s return would be a “slow process” but that his season was not in jeopardy. Asked last night whether Glasnow would return this year, Roberts was noncommittal.

“We’re hopeful,” he said, according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times on X. “I think hopeful. I think there’s a lot of variables, that’s for sure. But I think everybody in the organization is hopeful.” The right-hander plans to catch today and all weekend. Roberts was asked if Glasnow would still be listed if he continues to experience discomfort. “I’m not sure,” he said, according to Harris. “I do know that now, when you start, you’re probably looking to be pain-free. I think that’s probably the start. But it’s a fair question.”

It seems like a less-than-ideal development, given that the prognosis seems increasingly less optimistic. Glasnow’s health has been in the spotlight for most of his professional career. He battled elbow problems during his time with the Rays, including Tommy John surgery, and never threw more than 120 innings in a season with the club. He’s thrown 134 innings with the Dodgers this year, a new personal best, but it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing. He missed two weeks around the All-Star break with some lower back pain, and now his elbow is back in focus.

When he’s on the mound, he’s been his usual self, belting a few homers but also striking out a lot. He’s allowed 3.49 earned runs per nine frames this year, striking out 32.2% of the batters he’s faced and limiting walks to a 6.7% clip. His 48.6% ground ball rate is also strong, but his 15 home runs allowed have put some runs on the board.

Overall, Glasnow is one of the club’s better pitchers. Despite several injuries to the roster, the Dodgers are currently the best team in baseball at 80-54. Still, fans of the club will likely be concerned about a repeat of last year, when the club’s dominant regular season was quickly undermined by a lack of rotation health for the playoffs.

The Dodgers went 100-62 last year and earned a bye through the Wild Card round, but were quickly swept by the Diamondbacks in the Division Series. By that time, Julio Urias was on the restricted list due to allegations of domestic violence, while each of them Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin And Hiker Buehler were all out of action due to major operations. Clayton Kershaw did not play in the IL, but was clearly struggling with shoulder problems for which he had to undergo surgery in the off-season. Lance Lynn struggled with home run problems all year, which also hampered him in the playoffs.

This year, Glasnow’s status is uncertain. May is out again this year due to surgery, this time for a tear in his esophagus. River Ryan And Emmet Sheehan Both required Tommy John surgery.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been on the IL since June with a rotator cuff injury, though he appears to be close to returning. He began a rehab assignment Wednesday night, throwing 31 pitches in two innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City. Assuming he doesn’t suffer any setbacks, he should have a few more rehab outings while building up that pitch count and could be back with the big league club before the regular season is over. Before he hit the IL, he had a 2.92 ERA in his first 14 major league starts.

Currently the rotation consists of Kershaw, Buehler, Jack Flaherty, Bobby Miller And Gavin Steen. Kershaw has a solid 3.72 ERA following shoulder surgery, but his 19% strikeout rate is below average and well below his previous form. The velocity of all of his pitches is down slightly from last year before he went under the knife. Flaherty is having a strong season but has his own health concerns, as he battled some back issues with the Tigers, which reportedly derailed a deal with the Yankees before he was traded to the Dodgers. Both Miller and Buehler have struggled this year.

It’s still possible the Dodgers could assemble a postseason rotation with a strong group including Stone, Flaherty, Yamamoto, Glasnow and Kershaw, though Stone is the only one without any significant health issues this year. If Yamamoto and Glasnow can do well in the coming weeks, things could look good, but it’s a situation worth monitoring in the coming weeks.

Going back to Gonsolin, it’s possible he could return this year, but he wouldn’t be fully stretched. Roberts said this week that the door is “a little bit open” for the righty to return as a reliever, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic on X.

He underwent Tommy John surgery almost exactly a year ago, on September 1, 2023, so now is a natural time in the rehab process to start. He has thrown live bullpens and could soon begin a rehab assignment. The righty has a career 3.19 ERA after starting 71 of his 79 outings. Returning as a reliever could be a boon to the pitching staff while also laying a small foundation for his 2025 season. He is controllable via arbitration through 2026.