Shohei Ohtani is not in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup for the second consecutive day as they begin a series against the Washington Nationals, as he continues to manage his injury issues.
Ohtani has been dealing with lingering left knee soreness and discomfort while trying to navigate his return to the mound. He has also dealt with an issue in his right biceps.
The 32-year-old showed signs of pain while playing on Wednesday night, which prompted Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to give him a day off on Thursday.
“I think it was more the biceps, the neck, just that region, not feeling everything. And so there was some transfer or whatever, but it just wasn’t firing the way he wanted it to. That’s why I think you saw some grimacing and some shaking of the arm, just trying to get it to kind of fire, and he couldn’t do that.”
Roberts said he was undecided whether Ohtani would also be out of the lineup on Friday and would not make that decision until they have a conversation.
“I think for me is I don’t know that answer,” Roberts said when asked whether he thinks one day is enough time for Ohtani to recover. “I think that me talking to Shohei, how he feels today versus yesterday, talking to the training staff, and then I think to be honest with you, I don’t think I’ll have a decision until tomorrow, to be quite frank, and how he feels tomorrow on the game day.”
Ohtani is currently considered day-to-day, and Roberts has said he doesn’t expect an injured list stint for the two-way superstar.
“Right now, I would consider it unlikely,” Roberts said on Thursday about placing Ohtani on the injured list. “But I think, like I said, unlikely, but not impossible. But day to day.”
Roberts also said Ohtani’s injuries have not worsened with play, but have simply not improved.
“They have not been getting better, and I think over time, taking a lot of swings, the workload,” Roberts said. “For everyone, a day off always seems like a good thing. And so I think just the accumulation and it not getting better, kind of is where we were at last night.
“So hopefully today helps mentally, physically, and then it’s a different conversation tomorrow.”
Dodgers lineup
CF: Tommy Edman
SS: Mookie Betts
LF: Teoscar Hernández
C: Will Smith
3B: Max Muncy
2B: Miguel Rojas
DH: Alex Call
RF: Kyle Tucker
1B: Kiké Hernández
SP: Blake Snell
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