Alright, so get this: Shohei Ohtani still isn’t cleared to pitch. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Saturday that Ohtani definitely won’t be on the mound Sunday, and Tuesday is off the table too. You can feel the frustration. Roberts didn’t mince words after a loss to the Tigers, saying straight up, “In total, Sho hasn’t come out of it well, the arm, the knee. If any pitcher was feeling like this, we wouldn’t run them out there.”
The Health Rollercoaster Continues
The big issue? Ohtani’s just not feeling 100 percent. Roberts said they need to get back to LA and figure out “where his body is at.” This isn’t some new tweak either. Ohtani hasn’t pitched since July 3 against the San Diego Padres, sidelined with left knee irritation. He even missed the All-Star Game because of treatment on that knee. And if that wasn’t enough, he’s also been dealing with a right biceps injury for the last two months. You gotta wonder if he’s ever gonna be fully right this season. Roberts admitted, “To be quite frank, I just don’t see everything getting to 100 percent by the end of the season.” That’s a brutal reality check, even if he added that many pitchers aren’t 100 percent and are still viable.
The Dilemma: Bat or Arm?
The Dodgers are in a tough spot here. They’re trying to thread a delicate balance, wanting Ohtani back on the mound for the postseason but also needing his bat in the lineup because their offense has struggled for two months. Roberts said the hard part is figuring out if it’s “worth giving him an inning to build up” when he’s not feeling great overall. It’s a calculated risk, right? They don’t want him to compensate while pitching and end up hurting himself even more.
His return to the mound has been a slow ramp-up. He had his first bullpen session off a mound in over three weeks on August 14 at Dodger Stadium. Then, he threw 30 pitches in a simulated game to rehabbing catcher Will Smith on August 22. Just this past week, he threw off flat ground in Atlanta and had a 20-pitch bullpen session in Detroit. When he *was* pitching this season, Ohtani was electric. He’s got a 1.79 ERA and 2.59 xERA with 95 strikeouts and 26 walks in 85 2/3 innings. Among major league pitchers with at least 80 innings, he ranks second in ERA, fifth in xERA, and 14th in strikeout rate. He completed at least six innings in 13 of his 14 starts! So yeah, his absence is HUGE.
For now, he’s still going to hit. He was in Sunday’s starting lineup in Detroit. But the question remains: when, if ever, will we see him pitch again this season? And will he be healthy enough to make a real impact for the postseason? This whole situation is just a mess.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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