Shohei Ohtani has made three starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers as he continues to build his arm back up after undergoing right elbow surgery late in the 2023 season, and his next outing is coming this weekend at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani’s last start was June 28 against the Kansas City Royals, and it also marked the first time he pitched more than one inning in a game for the Dodgers. He threw two scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out one.
Now, Ohtani’s next start as a pitcher is scheduled to come one week later as he’s lined up to face the Houston Astros on Saturday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced.
It will likely be another start of at least two innings, and probably no more than three as the Dodgers remain cautious while slowly building him up.
In the last three starts, Ben Casparius followed Ohtani and ended up going the bulk of the innings in the game, but this time around the Dodgers are having Justin Wrobleski piggyback with Ohtani.
Roberts did not give much of an explanation for the change when asked for the reasoning. “That’s just kind of what we’re talking about,” he said.
However, Casparius pitched while sick in his last outing, and his performance while following Ohtani has been less than ideal. The rookie has allowed 11 earned runs in his 12.2 innings when pitching after Ohtani, including six runs in four innings his last time out.
If Casparius is not going to be a bulk pitcher following Ohtani, that means his role on the staff could be changing, but Roberts did not commit to that either.
“We’ll see,” Roberts said. “Obviously he pitched bulk Saturday, on the heels of being under the weather, so we’ll see where he’s at come this weekend and how he’s feeling.”
Wrobleski has thrived as a bulk pitcher this season, as well.
When coming out of the bullpen, Wrobleski holds a 1.48 ERA in five appearances, allowing just four earned runs in 24.1 innings with 25 strikeouts and a 0.82 WHIP. He’s also held opposing batters to a .195 batting average.
Dodgers not changing Shohei Ohtani’s schedule
With Ohtani now back in his two-way player role, it’s been an increase in his workload that he didn’t deal with last season. But as he continues to build back up, the Dodgers still don’t plan to give him a day off before or after his start days.
“No,” Roberts said. “Not yet.”
There has also been consideration to moving Ohtani out of the leadoff spot in the lineup when he pitches, but that’s another move Ohtani has said is unnecessary.
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