The Los Angeles Dodgers are left without answers on when two-way star Shohei Ohtani will pitch again, after knee irritation in his left leg forced him out of the starting rotation.
Ohtani had been scheduled to take the mound Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. However, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed reporters ahead of Sunday’s doubleheader with the New York Yankees, making clear there is no timetable for Ohtani’s return to pitching duties.
“Kind of where we’re at right now … I would say that it’s going to be some time,” Roberts said. “I say that it’s not going to be a day-by-day thing.”
Ohtani’s most recent pitching appearance came on July 3 against San Diego. His performance on the mound has declined noticeably over the past month — after allowing just five earned runs and 30 hits across his first 10 starts for a 0.74 ERA, he gave up 12 earned runs and 25 hits over his following four outings, pushing his ERA during that stretch to 4.38.
The knee issue required a lubricant injection on July 12, yet Ohtani has remained in the Dodgers’ batting lineup for each of the last nine games, including Sunday’s opener against the Yankees.
At the plate, Ohtani has been productive despite the injury, slashing .300/.364/.733 with four home runs and eight RBIs over the team’s previous eight games. He did sit out the All-Star Game on Tuesday, however.
