NEW YORK — Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani will not make a pitching start against the Phillies on Wednesday as previously planned, manager Dave Roberts said on Sunday, explaining that the team wants to give him more team to address lingering soreness in his left knee.
Roberts added that Ohtani could skip more than just one start; the team expects him to pitch again this season, but they are backing off for now to let the knee fully heal.
“It’s going to be some time,” Roberts said, “and I’d say that it’s not going to be a day-to-day thing.”
Ohtani has been able to hit as normal, and he was in his customary leadoff spot as the designated hitter against the Yankees in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader.
Emmet Sheehan will slide from Game 2 of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Yankees to start Monday’s series opener against the Phillies in Philadelphia. The team will likely use a bullpen game for Sunday’s nightcap.
The team had hoped the treatment would allow him to fully heal over the break, but had acknowledged at the time that they could back off his workload to ensure his long-term health.
“I think it’s all contingent on how his knee is feeling,” Roberts said at the time. “I think we are certainly more prepared to back off on the workload if it calls for it. But Shohei wants to be out there as much as he possibly can.”
Earlier this season, the Dodgers were more proactive in managing Ohtani’s first full two-way season since 2023. He made some pitching starts where he was not in the lineup as a hitter during the first two months, but by the end of May, he was regularly carrying out his full two-way duties.
The Dodgers have found some middle ground in managing Ohtani’s workload by lining up his pitching starts before team off-days to give him a full recovery day. Sometimes the schedule does not allow for Ohtani to pitch in front of an off-day, though, and Roberts indicated that he might choose to give him a game off afterward in certain situations.
Ohtani has been a force as both a hitter and a pitcher this season, but the Dodgers’ priority is keeping him impactful in both regards down the stretch and through another deep postseason run. With the best record in the Majors and a double-digit lead in the NL West, L.A. can afford to be mindful with his usage in the short term with an eye on having him at his best for the long run.
