Dave Roberts' worrisome comment casts doubt on Tyler Glasnow's Dodgers return

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow has been sidelined since Aug. 13 with right elbow tendonitis.

The nine-year MLB veteran was placed on the 15-day injured list two days after his most recent start on Aug. 11. Elbow injuries are usually daunting and it can take quite a while for hurlers to recover, even if the ailment doesn't need surgical intervention.

LA's manager Dave Roberts' recent comments suggest Glasnow's recovery has taken longer than initially anticipated, which now has fans a bit worried about October. When the skipper was asked if the righty would pitch again this year, he answered, "we're hopeful."

Roberts' answer is far from the definite response Dodgers fans hoped for. When asked if Glasnow could potentially pitch through the pain in his elbow, Roberts said they're looking for the veteran to be pain-free before his recovery progresses.

Dodgers' Dave Roberts offers discouraging update on Tyler Glasnow's recovery

Losing a pitcher to the IL is never ideal. Glasnow's injury came at a particularly rough time for LA — Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been sidelined since June 15 with triceps issues and River Ryan went on the 60-day IL with a forearm injury days later. The Dodgers still hold the lead in the National League West, but Glasnow's return to action would certainly make late-season series against the surging Diamondbacks and Padres easier.

Glasnow was arguably the Dodgers' best starter before going down. He owned a 3.49 ERA, 2.90 FIP and 0.95 WHIP with 168 strikeouts in 22 starts (134 innings). His WHIP still leads all NL starters and he finally looked like he was going to shake the injury woes that have plagued him for most of his career as a member of the Rays.

It's not all bad news for the Dodgers' rotation lately, though. Yamamoto pitched a two-inning rehab start on Aug. 28, during which he gave up one hit, one run and fanned two batters. His 60-day IL stint is almost up, and he should be back in time for LA's first-place push.

That said, the Dodgers can't limp into the postseason with an incomplete rotation, or even one that's struggling to regain its strength, so Glasnow's recovery remains an important piece to the championship puzzle.