Shohei Ohtani’s return to pitching this season has not been as straightforward as the Los Angeles Dodgers hoped for. Ohtani made 14 starts before getting removed from the rotation indefinitely due to left knee soreness.
There’s also been right biceps discomfort, and the two issues contributed to a delay in Ohtani’s return to the mound. He had been trending toward a start this past Sunday against the Detroit Tigers, only to be thrown off course because of not being in strong enough overall physical condition.
While the situation can be interpreted as concerning, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Ohtani contributing in any capacity as a pitcher is still a worthwhile goal and he will continue with a throwing program, according to Jack Harris of the California Post.
As of Tuesday, though, Friedman remained committed to keeping Ohtani’s pitching progression going, and was holding out hope of having the 32-year-old available to pitch in the playoffs even if it is in a more limited role.
“I think anything he can do is very additive and very helpful,” Friedman said.
On top of Ohtani working to overcome physical issues, there’s the fact of his hitting production taking a bit of a dip since starting up with bullpen sessions. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team will not push Ohtani to pitch if it means negatively impacting his performance at the plate.
Friedman has previously taken the stance that the organization will not prioritize one aspect of Ohtani’s game over the other, noting that his pitching and hitting are equally impactful to the club’s success.
Even amid his recent offensive struggles, Ohtani hasn’t indicated that his injuries are affecting his hitting.
Shohei Ohtani’s nagging injuries
There has not yet been much movement on the Ohtani health front since he wasn’t able to return to pitching in the series finale at Comerica Park. Roberts suggested this week will be important in determining their star player’s timeline.
“You know, I don’t right now. I do stand by nothing’s going to happen until potentially Sunday,” Roberts said on Tuesday. “But I do think that there’s going to be a conversation that needs to be had this week about what the outlook is, and we haven’t had it yet.”
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