NEW YORK — Not so fast.
What seemed to be a significant step forward in Shohei Ohtani’s return to the Dodgers’ pitching rotation has turned out to be another reason to put that on pause.
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Ohtani did not throw the second bullpen session he was scheduled to throw Saturday, citing continued discomfort in the left knee that has kept him out of the Dodgers’ pitching rotation and prompted him to skip the All-Star Game entirely.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the decision was made to “kick the can on that one” because Ohtani’s knee “just doesn’t feel 100 percent” three days after he threw off the mound for the first time since July 3.
“We’re not going to move forward until he feels 100 percent confident, we feel 100 percent confident that we should do it. So right now, we didn’t do it,” Roberts said.
Ohtani was originally expected to throw a bullpen session during this weekend’s series at Citi Field. But he also pushed ahead and threw approximately 30 pitches Wednesday in Philadelphia in what pitching coach Mark Prior described as a “probably similar to an in-between starts bullpen.”
In the days following that throwing session, Roberts said Ohtani has had “a little bit of regression” in how his knee feels. Two weeks ago at the end of the first half, Ohtani received an injection of Orthovisc in that knee, hoping to lubricate the joint and relieve the pain.
“It was obviously not ideal, him throwing his last bullpen and going backwards essentially,” Roberts said. “Obviously that’s disappointing because you throw a bullpen to continue to build up. So that was disappointing.
“But as far as worry, concern, we don’t have any of that.”
Ohtani has said the knee bothers him only when pitching and he has continued to play designated hitter on a daily basis. In the past three games, he has tried to stretch a single into a double (against the Phillies) and stretch a double into a triple (Friday against the Mets). He was thrown out both times, but Roberts said there is no indication that the baserunning has affected Ohtani’s knee.
“From his words – the hitting, the running as he has done the last couple nights, doesn’t affect him,” Roberts said. “I can only go by what he and the training staff is telling me. So unless I hear otherwise – that hitting compromises his health – then I’m going to keep putting him in the lineup.”
With Ohtani remaining out of the rotation, the Dodgers are likely to have to resort to at least one more bullpen game or promote a spot starter from the minors, but Roberts said “we don’t have to have that conversation (yet).”
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He did say that he “absolutely” believes Ohtani will return to the rotation at some point with August a “fair” expectation. When he will again start taking steps towards making that happen is “fluid.”
“Just trying to figure out what’s best,” Roberts said. “And the next step, I don’t know, and I don’t think anyone knows right now when the next ‘pen is going to be because it’s not scheduled.”
REHAB ROUNDUP
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow threw to hitters in a live batting practice session Friday. Glasnow threw approximately 25 pitches in one simulated inning and hit 95-96 mph with his fastball, according to Roberts.
“He was very pleased coming out of it,” Roberts said of Glasnow, who has been out since May 6 with lower back spasms.
The expectation is for Glasnow to throw another live batting practice session next week (probably two innings) and then go on a minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment.
Utility player Kiké Hernandez (oblique) is expected to come off the injured list Tuesday, followed by reliever Edwin Diaz (elbow surgery) on Wednesday.
When Diaz returns, it will be in the closer role, Roberts said. Tanner Scott recorded his 16th save Friday night and will move into “another leverage spot.”
“Honestly right now, we have more high-leverage guys than we’ve had all year,” Roberts said.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Emmet Sheehan, 4-7, 5.13 ERA) at Mets (RHP Freddy Peralta, 5-9, 5.01 ERA), 10:40 a.m. Sunday, SportsNet LA, 570 AM
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