Shohei Ohtani’s much-anticipated return to the mound for the Dodgers is on shaky ground, his troublesome left knee flaring up again after a Friday bullpen session. Manager Dave Roberts didn’t mince words, telling ESPN before Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, “I don’t think he’s 100%.” That throws a wrench into their tentative plans for him to pitch on Sunday. Talk about a gut punch!
Ohtani’s Pitching Nightmare Continues
This isn’t just a minor setback. Ohtani hasn’t thrown a game since July 3, battling persistent knee inflammation and a biceps issue that’s complicated rehab. Last weekend, things looked promising with a 30-pitch simulated game. But then Friday happened. He only managed 20 pitches in his bullpen, and honestly, the knee results weren’t what anyone wanted. It’s frustrating, man. You want to see the guy doing his thing, especially after looking like a National League Cy Young candidate in his age-31 season. His numbers before the knee problems were insane: a 1.79 ERA, a .95 WHIP, 85.2 innings pitched, with 26 walks and 95 strikeouts. Imagine that production back in the rotation!
Offensive Juggernaut, Defensive Headaches
Here’s the wild part: even with all these pitching woes, Ohtani the hitter is still a beast. He’s been the Dodgers’ everyday designated hitter at the top of the lineup, crushing it with a .283 batting average, 86 runs scored, 30 homers, 80 RBIs, and even 10 stolen bases. Roberts is clear, saying, “His value offensively is hugely important, and so we can’t compromise that in any fashion. If throwing potentially cuts into that, that’s not worth the squeeze.” They can’t risk that bat. The Dodgers’ rotation depth is getting hammered. While they grabbed Tarik Skubal at the deadline and saw Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell return, they’ve also lost Roki Sasaki (blisters) and Justin Wrobleski (forearm inflammation) to the injured list. Now, Eric Lauer is looking like their fifth starter. It’s a revolving door!
Bye Week Battle and MVP Race Heating Up
The Dodgers are sitting pretty at 81-54 with a comfortable lead in the NL West, but they’re not coasting. They’re in a heated fight for playoff seeding, trying to snag one of those top two spots for a first-round bye. Right now, they’re only one game ahead of the Atlanta Braves for that crucial second bye. Every decision about Ohtani’s arm impacts that race, big time. And speaking of races, Ohtani is still in the mix for his fourth straight MVP award. However, Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs is the betting favorite at -390 on FanDuel, partly because Ohtani has only made 14 starts. Ohtani is still at +300, so it’s not over yet. For now, the Dodgers face the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, and everyone’s holding their breath on Ohtani’s arm for Sunday and beyond. What a wild ride for the guy!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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