July 21, 2024 10:25 PM : Yamamoto (tricep) said Sunday that he's been playing catch out to 200 feet, but he has yet to receive clearance for mound work and admitted that he's without a clear timeline to return from the 60-day injured list, MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Yamamoto is eligible to come off the IL on Aug. 15, but the Dodgers don't seem to be counting on him returning at that time, with Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com instead suggesting that the team is "holding out hope" for him to resume pitching in the big leagues in late August or early September. The Dodgers will get two key members of the rotation in Tyler Glasnow (back) and Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) back from the IL this week, and the club is seemingly banking on those additions being enough to stabilize the pitching staff until Yamamoto eventually returns to the mix. After signing Yamamoto to a lavish deal this past winter, the Dodgers are cognizant of prioritizing his long-term health and ensuring that he's in optimal health by the time the playoffs begin in October. Yamamoto still appears on pace to return before the end of the regular season, but if absence extends into September, fantasy managers in redraft leagues with limited or no IL spots might not be able to justify holding him.