Ohtani Set for Potential Return on Wednesday

NEW YORK — Manager Dave Roberts mentioned that the Dodgers are optimistic about Shohei Ohtani making his next start on Wednesday in Philadelphia. This would mark Ohtani’s return to pitching following knee treatment he underwent during the All-Star break.

Currently, Ohtani is three weeks removed from his last pitching outing on July 3, and the Dodgers have rolled out their expected rotation for the upcoming weekend series against the Yankees, which notably does not feature him.

Roberts clarified on Friday that the team isn’t rushing Ohtani back. Despite being a designated hitter against the Yankees after receiving a lubricant injection to alleviate discomfort and swelling in his left knee, he hasn’t pitched since early July.

In the coming days, Ohtani is expected to engage in some catch and throw sessions as well as bullpen work to gauge his readiness for a return to a two-way role. “He’s going to come off the mound, do some touch and feel, stretch out and see what it feels like,” Roberts remarked.

One practical reason for delaying his pitching until Wednesday is the schedule, with the game falling just before a day off for the team. This allows Ohtani some additional recovery time post-start.

The Dodgers seem likely to keep this pattern moving forward, either starting Ohtani right before an off day or allowing him a break as designated hitter the next day if required. Roberts noted, “I think we’re prepared to reduce our workload if necessary, but Shohei wants to play as much as he can.”

Ohtani has struggled with knee issues since a game against the Pirates on June 10, where he felt his pitching mechanics were causing excess stress on his left foot. The day after, he was removed early from a game due to a swollen knee and missed another before returning to play regularly, albeit with the acknowledgement that his knee—previously surgically repaired in 2019—hadn’t fully recovered. Ohtani has been receiving consistent treatment from the training staff and now uses knee sleeves during practices.

While his batting has remained strong, Ohtani’s pitching performance has dipped since his knee troubles began. He had an impressive start to the year with an ERA of 0.74 over 10 games, but that has shifted to a 4.38 in the four games since his injury.

Ultimately, the situation became pressing enough for Ohtani to agree to skip the All-Star Game and his final scheduled pitching appearance before the break, allowing him to focus on his recovery.

Roberts confirmed that Ohtani received an injection of Orthovisc during the break, aiming to ease his knee pain without draining it, which had been initially suggested. “It took some of the pain out of his knee, which is what we were hoping for, and four days of inactivity calms everything down,” Roberts said. The team hopes this might finally resolve Ohtani’s knee issues, but they’ll need to see how he performs when he’s back on the mound.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers plan to somewhat lighten Ohtani’s workload for the remainder of the season. Previously, he had been a reliable part of the team’s rotation, pitching regularly and sometimes participating in games the day after pitching or hitting. As they move forward, opportunities for more rest might be explored, especially given the team’s current dominance in the league.

The overarching goal for the Dodgers is ensuring both Ohtani and the rest of the roster stay healthy as they approach October. Despite Ohtani’s strong stats—fifth-best OPS (.953) among MLB hitters and second-best ERA (1.79) among those with 80 or more innings—keeping his knee in good shape remains essential.