The Los Angeles Dodgers may not end up seeing superstar Shohei Ohtani return to the mound on Sunday as planned.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Saturday that Ohtani’s “left knee and overall body” are not at 100%. The dual-threat player was expected to make his highly anticipated return to the mound on Sunday, albeit for a short outing.
Roberts was expected to deploy a one-two punch of Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow on Sunday, with the former expected to throw about an inning to begin the game, or come on to relieve Glasnow.
Ohtani hasn’t pitched since July 3 due to overall discomfort and a lingering issue in his left knee.
Ohtani has made 14 appearances on the mound this season. He has an 8-2 record and a 1.79 ERA, with many naming him midseason a favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award.
While the injury has kept him from taking the mound for nearly two months, it hasn’t prevented him from playing, as Los Angeles has continued to deploy him as its designated hitter.
Ohtani has appeared in 125 games this year as a hitter. He is slashing .283/.384/.537 with 30 home runs and 80 RBI.
He is having a phenomenal season and is still among the favorites to win NL MVP again.
Heading into Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles has tallied an 81-54 record, good enough to lead the NL West by nine games.
Adding Ohtani to the Dodgers’ pitching rotation almost seems unfair. LA’s staff is getting healthier and already features Glasnow, Blake Snell, Tarik Skubal, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with several others waiting in the wings if need be.
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