Shohei Ohtani was back in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup for their series finale against the San Diego Padres after an early exit on Friday and missing one game because of a right bicep issue.
Ohtani largely downplayed concern and revealed he dealt with similar discomfort earlier this season. In both cases the issue has quickly resolved itself.
Shohei Ohtani’s next pitching start
While Ohtani got back to his designated hitter duties, there remains some uncertainty over whether or not he’ll start on the mound Friday.
Ohtani’s pitching scheduled was adjusted last week when the Dodgers pushed him back two days after originally being lined up to start in the series finale against the Athletics. It put him on track to face the Padres on July 3, then the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 10.
“We don’t need to make that decision today, tomorrow, the next day,” manager Dave Roberts answered when asked about Ohtani’s status for his next outing. “We have time. I think for us, it’s more of reading and reacting to how he feels.”
Ohtani’s right bicep only gave him trouble when swinging a bat and it responded well to treatment. As a result, Roberts did not anticipate the minor issue requiring an adjustment in his throwing routine for this week.
If the Dodgers decide to skip Ohtani’s next turn in the rotation, it would potentially result in a two-week stretch between starts. There is also the option to have the 32-year-old not start until Saturday or Sunday. But if Ohtani is pushed back to the finale of the Diamondbacks series, that would officially rule him out from being eligible to pitch in the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park.
Of course, that doesn’t appear to be a likely scenario regardless of what transpires. Roberts has stopped short of formally ruling Ohtani out as an All-Star pitcher, but has acknowledged he isn’t expected to start the annual exhibition.
Managing the two-way superstar’s workload has been a key focus for the Dodgers this season. Even if it didn’t appear that way as Ohtani threw a season-high 110 pitches over six innings against the Padres.
Given that Ohtani has now dealt with left knee inflammation, a blister on the middle finger of his right hand and a bicep issue, one could argue it would behoove the Dodgers to skip over his next start.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
