Shohei Ohtani delays Dodgers pitching return due to knee injury
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled pitching start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday due to ongoing irritation in his left knee.
Manager Dave Roberts initially planned for the two-way phenom to return to the mound in Philadelphia after an extended two-week absence.
However, the Japanese superstar informed the training staff that his joint was not progressing as expected prior to a routine bullpen session.
Return date remains uncertain
Roberts confirmed he does not yet know if the start will merely be pushed back a few days or skipped entirely.
The Dodgers boss fully expects the four-time MVP to pitch again this season, but stressed that the recovery will require patience.
“Kind of where we’re at, right now, how we’re proceeding, I would say that it’s going to be some time.”
Roberts explained the situation on Sunday before the team’s doubleheader against the New York Yankees.
“And I say that it’s not going to be a day-to-day thing.”
Cautious approach for the MVP favourite
The two-way talent has not pitched since allowing three runs over six innings against the San Diego Padres on 3 July.
He subsequently received a lubricant injection into the knee before the All-Star break and opted against travelling for the mid-season exhibition.
Despite his absence from the mound, the National League MVP frontrunner continues to feature heavily in the lineup as a designated hitter.
The Los Angeles medical staff have not considered shutting him down completely because the joint is only stressed when planting his leg to pitch, rather than when swinging the bat.
Dodgers adjust rotation
The late change has prompted Los Angeles to reshuffle their pitching rotation, moving Emmet Sheehan’s scheduled start back a day to Monday.
Ohtani has been dominant on the mound during his first full pitching season since 2023, boasting a stellar 1.79 ERA across 14 starts.
He has been equally lethal in the batter’s box, hitting 22 home runs and maintaining a .289 average to solidify his status as baseball’s premier offensive threat.