Tyler Glasnow Injury Update: September return seems questionable as Dave Roberts remains 'hopeful' about pitcher's progress

Things were looking good for Tyler Glasnow as he earned his first All-Star invitation with the Los Angeles Dodgers this season. He also had career-highs in games (22), innings pitched (134.0) and strikeouts (168) and leads the NL in lowest WHIP (0.948), all while maintaining a 3.49 ERA. However, his hot season halted after getting injured against the Pittsburgh Pirates with an elbow tendinitis on Aug. 11.

He was placed on a 15-day Injured list, hoping to return by the end of the month. However, it seems Glasnow is not ready yet. His catching session from earlier this week was canceled and is scheduled to resume before the Dodgers vs Arizona Diamondbacks game on Friday at Chase Field. But Glasnow's return to the Dodgers lineup before October remains speculative.

“We’re hopeful,” Dave Roberts, the Dodgers manager, said on Thursday (via Los Angeles Times). “There’s still a lot of variables to be certain.”

With nearly a month left before the playoffs, the Dodgers, with their National League-leading 80-54 record, are in no rush for Tyler Glasnow's return. Since the Dodgers are likely to be in the postseason, they want him in top shape to help them in the playoffs.

Tyler Glasnow during the Dodgers vs Pirates game on Aug. 11 (Image Credit - GETTY)

The club also has a similar plan for the $325 million starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is on 60-day IL with a strained rotator cuff. Yamamoto has started his rehab assignment and could be joining the Dodgers during the postseason.

Dodgers' potential postseason rotation featuring Tyler Glasnow

In the absence of Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers rotation is being handled by Clayton Kershaw, Jack Flaherty and Gavin Stone, along with the support of Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller.

They're managing the team well and it'll only be better when those aces rejoin the main lineup. Kershaw, who recovered from shoulder surgery, has a 3.72 ERA in six games.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers' trade deadline prized player Flaherty has a 3.49 ERA in five games, pitching for 28.1 innings. Along with Glasnow, Yamamoto and Kershaw, he would be a great option to support the rotation.

Stone (3.33 ERA in 135.1 innings) has far better numbers than both Buehler (5.88 ERA in 49 innings) and Miller (7.25 ERA in 44.2 innings). If he manages to stay healthy, Stone is most likely to be the fifth member of the Dodgers' rotation.