A sprained elbow prematurely ended Glassnow's season

After missing a simulated game Friday because of right elbow discomfort while he warmed up in the bullpen, Glasnow underwent additional scans to determine the severity of the injury.

Manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that those scans revealed a “sprained elbow.” Glasnow has been ruled out of throwing for the foreseeable future, a right-hander and his season ended much sooner than the Dodgers expected.

“It's a big shock,” Roberts said. “What he meant to our ballclub, what he did for us, what we expected of him, there must be a price. But we have to move forward, and we will, and we have capable people. I feel bad for Tyler because he did everything to stay healthy and come back and it just wasn't going to happen.”

Glasnow was acquired from the Rays in the offseason and immediately signed a five-year, $136.5 million extension. The right-hander dealt with numerous arm injuries throughout his career, but the Dodgers hoped those issues were behind them.

After throwing a career-high 134 innings this season, Glasnow was placed on the 15-day injured list in mid-August with right elbow discomfort. Initially, the Dodgers were hoping for a minimal amount of time in IL, but the injury never fully healed.

Roberts did not specify the exact ligament affected for Glasnow, but added that his surgically repaired UCL is intact, some good news given the circumstances. Regarding a possible offseason procedure on Glassnow's elbow, Roberts said the Dodgers are “not thinking that far ahead.”

As the Dodgers plan to map out their postseason rotation, it looks pretty slim right now considering Glasnow won't be part of the mix. The Dodgers are currently relying on Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to start the first few games; After that, the picture is cloudy.

Clayton Kershaw and Gavin Stone could still return, but time is ticking for both players. Kershaw has kept his arm loose as he battles a toe injury, but Roberts acknowledged that regular season appearances are going to be tough for the left-hander. If he returns, it will have to come with the pressure of a postseason game.

As for Stone, the Dodgers will get more information when he plays catch in Miami next week. Behind Stone and Kershaw, the Dodgers' options are Walker Buehler, Bobby Miller and Landon Knack. Among the group, Knack is the most consistent in limited time. Miller has struggled all season, and Bueller has struggled with inconsistency as he returns from his second Tommy John surgery.

“I'm still confident. I don't think there's one way to win a championship,” Roberts said. “I think you can look back at teams recently and how their personnel came together and who stepped up for each team's personnel. So we're going to have the guys we have, and I'm confident that we'll run out of anyone there. But of course, beating Tyler for any length of time, and Clayton for any length of time, Gavin Stone and what he's done, is definitely a hit. No doubt.”