Shohei Ohtani, the versatile star for the Los Angeles Dodgers, might be ready to pitch again as early as Sunday.
Dodgers’ manager, Dave Roberts, stated that there’s a “possibility” of Ohtani re-entering game action this weekend.
Initially, the team expected that Ohtani would only be able to pitch an inning or two during the upcoming postseason, but new insights indicate that he could potentially return as a fully operational starting pitcher.
Following their series against the Braves in Atlanta, the Dodgers will move on to face the Tigers in Detroit.
The details of how the pitching lineup will look for the Tigers series depend on Ohtani’s performance during his session on Wednesday in Atlanta, which may involve either a bullpen workout or batting practice against live hitters.
There’s a chance that both Tarik Skubal and Ohtani could end up starting for the Dodgers in Detroit.
Back in July 2023, while still with the Angels, Ohtani delivered a shutout in Game 1 of a notable doubleheader at Comerica Park and hit two home runs in the second game.
Recently, Ohtani completed a 30-pitch simulated game with Will Smith on Saturday without any setbacks, marking another positive step in his recovery from a knee and biceps injury he sustained on Wednesday.
Since July 3, Ohtani has not pitched for the Dodgers.
If he doesn’t pitch on Sunday against the Tigers and returns the following week instead, there’s still an opportunity for him to make four or five appearances before the regular season wraps up. This could allow the Dodgers to utilize him as a starter during October’s playoffs.
However, if he does start in Detroit, it’s likely that his outing would be limited to just an inning or two as the team remains cautious about gradually increasing the workload of their two-way star.
This season, Ohtani boasts an impressive record of 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA over 85.2 innings. At the plate, he’s hitting .287 with 30 home runs, 80 RBIs, and a leading .933 OPS.
