Dodgers say Shohei Ohtani will not pitch Sunday due to lingering soreness
Shohei Ohtani remains sidelined because of knee and biceps discomfort, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have removed him from Sunday’s starting lineup.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Shohei Ohtani will not pitch in the scheduled Sunday game against the Detroit Tigers after the two-way star experienced knee discomfort during a recent bullpen session. Ohtani’s limited 20-pitch warm-up was below his normal pre-start routine, and Roberts said the player is not at 100 percent and his overall body is sore.
"If any pitcher was feeling like this, we wouldn’t run him out there," Roberts said Saturday.
Roberts added that Ohtani’s offensive contributions are critical and the team will not risk compromising his hitting by forcing a return to the mound. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who recently returned from a back injury, will start in Ohtani’s place.
The Dodgers had planned to ease Ohtani back into pitching over several starts before the postseason, but a decision on his future role on the mound has not been made. The team will reassess his condition when they travel back to Los Angeles next week and will not use him in the upcoming series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Despite his limited availability as a pitcher, Ohtani continues to produce offensively, posting a .283 average with 30 home runs and 80 RBIs this season. The Dodgers’ rotation, bolstered by recent acquisitions such as Tarik Skubal, also includes Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Eric Lauer, providing depth amid several other pitchers recovering from injuries.