The Dodgers have temporarily shut down Shohei Ohtani from pitching as he continues to manage his knee injury, which the organization feared would worsen if the Japanese ace kept pitching and hitting. Manager Dave Roberts announced that Ohtani will not be day-to-day for pitching but will remain in the batting lineup as the designated hitter.
Ohtani has an 8-2 record this season, with a 1.79 ERA and 0.95 WHIP over 14 starts for the reigning World Series champions. Now largely prevented from pitching, Ohtani’s chances of winning his first career Cy Young Award could be significantly diminished.
Senior MLB analyst Ken Rosenthal echoed this sentiment during his recent appearance on the Foul Territory channel, explaining why he believes Ohtani’s Cy Young chances are essentially gone.
“What is also interesting about this physical setback for Ohtani, it’s hard to call it an injury, although I guess it is that, are the implications for both the Cy Young and MVP races. Now you remember, we talked a lot about this season, Ohtani wanting to win his first Cy Young. It seemed to be a clear goal,” Rosenthal said.
“Dave Roberts acknowledged that it was a clear goal. Well, now it’s not going to happen. Simple as that. He simply doesn’t have the innings. And frankly, he wasn’t necessarily going to have the innings, even if he had stayed healthy, pitching in a six-man rotation, getting extra rest when necessary,” he added.
What Did Dave Roberts Say About Shohei Ohtani’s Pitching Timeline?
Initially, Roberts reflected on the lubricant injection Ohtani received in his left knee after his last start on July 3, noting it was administered solely because the situation was not improving.
Furthermore, the manager stated that everything they were trying with Ohtani was simply to prevent him from aggravating his injury. Roberts also said the team expected Ohtani to return to the starting rotation as early as next week.
“All that stuff is trying to give us the best chance to be out of the woods entirely… I don’t know. He’s got to play catch again, and then we’ll see,” Roberts on Ohtani’s injury and uncertain return timeline.
After beating the Yankees in their own backyard, the Dodgers have now begun a three-game series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park and lost the series opener 10-7 on Monday night.
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