This story was excerpted from Juan Toribio’s Dodgers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers are in a great position with 18 games left in the regular season.

Los Angeles (86-58) has a 5 1/2-game lead on San Diego (81-64) atop the National League West and is tied with Philadelphia for the best record in the NL. On the position-player side, the Dodgers are as healthy as they’ve been all season, especially once Teoscar Hernández -- who is nursing a left foot contusion -- gets back into the lineup.

The Dodgers were constructed this year to make a deep run in the postseason and ultimately win the World Series. Anything other than accomplishing that goal will be a disappointment. On paper, L.A. certainly has one of the best chances in the Majors.

But with less than three weeks left in the regular season, the Dodgers still have some questions to answer on the pitching side. Last season, the starting rotation was what ultimately doomed them. This season, there are some concerns as Los Angeles deals with injuries.

Let’s take a look at three questions the Dodgers still need to answer on the pitching front.

1. Is Yoshinobu Yamamoto going to save the day?
Yamamoto, who went on the IL with a right shoulder injury on June 16, will make his much-anticipated return to the mound on Tuesday against the Cubs. His three starts down the stretch will be some of the biggest for the Dodgers this season.

The Japanese right-hander was L.A.’s big pitching acquisition last offseason after signing a 12-year, $325 million deal. With the Dodgers navigating through a lot of injuries on their pitching staff, they’re going to need Yamamoto to pitch like it down the stretch.

Yamamoto was impressive in a small sample size before going on the IL (2.92 ERA in 14 starts). His best start came on June 7 against the Yankees, when he tossed seven scoreless innings, struck out seven and allowed just two hits and two walks. Now it’s a matter of Yamamoto regaining that form and seeing if he’s fully healthy after being sidelined the past three months.

2. Will they get healthier?
Getting Yamamoto back is a good start for the Dodgers, but there’s still work to do on the injury front. Tyler Glasnow is scheduled to throw his second bullpen session on Tuesday since going on the 15-day IL with right elbow tendinitis on Aug. 16, a significant step in his rehab. Clayton Kershaw (15-day IL, bone spur in left big toe) is also trying a bunch of things in order to get back on the mound.

Then there’s Gavin Stone, who went on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation on Friday. With just three turns left through the rotation, time is ticking for these three pitchers. Glasnow is the closest to making a return, but that will be determined as he continues to progress in his rehab. He’s been injury prone throughout his career.

In the end, the Dodgers, in order to field their best postseason rotation, will desperately need at least one -- and realistically two -- of these three starters to get back in time to make a deep run.

3. Can Walker Buehler help or not?
It’s been quite the season for Buehler. He started the season on the injured list as he worked his way back from his second Tommy John surgery. Upon his return, the results weren’t there as he struggled mightily (5.84 ERA in eight starts). Buehler went back on the IL with right hip inflammation on June 19 and even took it upon himself to seek outside help at Cressey Sports Performance in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Since coming back Aug. 14, Buehler has looked a bit better. He’s relying on his breaking balls and cutter more than he has in years, and he has found some success, particularly with his strikeout numbers. Still, the overall numbers need improvement.

If the Dodgers’ rotation does not get healthier, Buehler will likely be one of the first pitchers L.A. turns to in October. Buehler has had a lot of success in the postseason, and his competitiveness will help his cause. But right now, that might not be enough for the right-hander. He needs to have three good starts to end the regular season in order to carve out any role in the postseason.

Getting production out of Buehler would be huge for the Dodgers. Now it’s up to him to deliver.