Shohei Ohtani Suffers Setback In His Return To Pitching For Dodgers

NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani’s throwing programme has stalled, pinch nan Dodgers prima canceling a bullpen convention nan squad had tentatively scheduled for Saturday.

“Just doesn’t consciousness 100%,” manager Dave Roberts said of Ohtani’s near knee. “And because I deliberation that nan past ‘pen that he had, location was a small spot of regression. So we want to make judge that that doesn’t hap again.”

It was going to beryllium Ohtani’s 2nd bullpen since receiving an orthovisc injection successful his knee connected July 12. He threw a astir 30-pitch broadside convention connected Wednesday.

It’s unclear erstwhile he’ll propulsion disconnected nan mound next. But Roberts said he’s still optimistic that Ohtani will return to nan rotation sometime successful August.

“It was evidently not ideal, him throwing his past bullpen and going backwards, essentially,” Roberts said. “So evidently that’s disappointing because you propulsion a bullpen to proceed to build up. So that was disappointing. But arsenic acold arsenic worry, concern, we don’t person immoderate of that.”

Roberts described a “fluid” process, pinch plentifulness of input from Ohtani, arsenic he and Dodgers proceed to navigate nan knee issue. Because only pitching seems to beryllium aggravating nan injury, Ohtani will proceed to play astatine designated hitter.

“From his words, nan hitting, nan running, arsenic he has done nan past mates nights, doesn’t impact him,” Roberts said. “So I tin only spell by what he and nan training unit are telling me. So, unless I perceive otherwise, that hitting compromises his health, past I’m going to support putting him successful nan lineup.”

The Dodgers had initially hoped nan injection and clip disconnected starring up to nan All-Star break would let him to get past nan discomfort successful his knee and not person to interest astir managing it for nan remainder of nan season.

Though Ohtani feels amended than he did earlier nan break, according to Roberts, nan squad wasn’t envisioning this benignant of start-and-stop buildup.

The schedule does nan Dodgers immoderate favors. The disconnected time Monday allows them to get done this coming week without filling Ohtani’s spot successful nan rotation. But successful bid to support each their starters connected a six- to seven-day rotation, they’ll person to find a replacement — whether that beryllium a bullpen time aliases different starter — by nan first week of August.

Starting pitcher Blake Snell (arthroscopic elbow surgery) is connected way to beryllium adjacent to a return from nan injured database by then. In his 2nd rehab commencement this month, he threw 2⅔ innings (49 pitches) for triple-A Oklahoma City connected Friday.

He’ll beryllium targeting 4 innings successful his adjacent start, according to Roberts. When asked if he’d request different rehab outing aft that, Roberts said: “Let’s conscionable get done that adjacent one. Get done 4 innings and benignant of publication and respond from there.”

Injury updates

Dodgers teammates Kiké Hernández, left, and Shohei Ohtani laughter aft a triumph complete nan Philadelphia Phillies astatine Dodger Stadium connected May 29.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

The Dodgers are group to invited backmost inferior subordinate Kiké Hernández (strained near oblique) and person Edwin Díaz (arthroscopic elbow surgery) from nan injured database early successful adjacent week’s homestand.

Hernández is group to beryllium activated Tuesday, arsenic nan Dodgers unfastened a three-game bid against nan Seattle Mariners, Roberts said. And Díaz apt will return Wednesday, sliding backmost into nan person domiciled that Tanner Scott has held successful his absence.

Tyler Glasnow (back spasms) threw astir 25 pitches successful a one-inning unrecorded batting believe convention Friday, Roberts said. He’s scheduled to propulsion to batters again adjacent week.