The Los Angeles Dodgers are eagerly awaiting the return of starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who has been sidelined with a back injury since tweaking it during his last outing. While the team has been cautious with his recovery, recent developments suggest a comeback could be on the horizon.

Glasnow has resumed playing catch over the past few days, marking a positive step forward. The Dodgers' plan is to eventually have him throw off the mound, at which point he could rejoin the starting rotation. However, manager Dave Roberts has remained tight-lipped about a specific timeline, confirming only that Glasnow will not return when his 15-day injured list stint expires on May 23rd.

Instead, the right-hander is eyeing a return either at the end of May or in early June. "We're taking it easy on him," Roberts said, emphasizing a cautious approach to avoid aggravating the injury. This patience is understandable given Glasnow's impressive start to the season: before the injury, he posted a stellar 2.72 ERA over 39.2 innings, showcasing a devastating curveball that complemented his two fastballs.

In Glasnow's absence, the Dodgers have turned to Blake Snell, who stepped into the rotation earlier than expected. While Snell struggled in his Saturday outing, his delivery looked solid—he simply lacked the sharpness and bite on his closing pitches. Meanwhile, Glasnow has been mentoring young arms like Emmet Sheehan, Roki Sasaki, and Justin Wrobleski, helping them extend their time in the rotation.

With only 40 games into the season, the Dodgers are enjoying an extended look at their promising young pitchers, each bringing unique skills to the mound. Glasnow, who was a dark-horse Cy Young candidate before his injury, now faces long odds for the award given his missed time. But when healthy, he's an elite No. 2 starter—or even an ace for many teams—and ranks as arguably the fourth-best arm in a loaded Dodgers rotation. That's the kind of depth that makes a championship contender.