Dave Roberts Provides Somewhat Concerning Timeline For Tyler Glasnow to Return to Dodgers

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 25, 2024

Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

There's some encouraging news regarding Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow's status—the remainder of his regular season isn’t at risk for now.

However, his return timeline is a bit concerning. According to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, manager Dave Roberts mentioned that Glasnow played catch at 60 feet on Saturday, but his recovery will be a “slow process.”

Dave Roberts said Tyler Glasnow played catch out to 60 feet today, but it will be a “slow process” for him. How slow is unclear, but Roberts said the rest of the regular season isn’t in jeopardy right now.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 24, 2024

Glasnow was placed on the injured list on Aug. 16 during the Dodgers' series in St. Louis due to elbow tendonitis. It seems likely that he won’t return to the rotation until September, raising questions about how long it will take for him to ramp up and be ready for the postseason.

The Dodgers' already short-handed starting rotation is "not ideal."

At present, both Glasnow and rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto have been strong performers when healthy, but both are currently on the injured list and not expected back until next month.

Yamamoto threw his second simulated game on Wednesday since being sidelined in June with a shoulder injury, which Roberts described as a “big step” for the rookie.

“I think at this point, everything’s starting to come together,” Yamamoto said through his interpreter.

However, Yamamoto still has a few more steps to complete before beginning a rehab assignment. Next, he’s slated for a three-inning simulated game in the coming days, followed by a minor-league rehab stint that could last another week or two.

Yamamoto, who was 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA before suffering the injury, is on track for a mid-September return. The right-hander will need time to build his stamina back up which could take a little longer after missing more than two months.

“It’s obviously not ideal,” Roberts admitted. “But I still think getting him back to health and building him up is what will give us our best ball club. So we’re going to make the most of it.”

Roberts also noted that Glasnow’s return is likely to extend “beyond” the initial 15-day timeline, which is frustrating. “I know he’s probably frustrated,” the manager said. “But you’ve got to listen to your body.”

“He was fighting to stay off the IL and wants to be there for his teammates,” Roberts added, searching for optimism. “But I think with the build-up he’s had, missing a couple of weeks isn’t going to cut too much into what he’s already prepared to do.”