\u201cI would say that it\u2019s going to be some time,\u201d Roberts said Sunday morning. \u201cIt\u2019s not going to be a day-to-day thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ohtani, who hasn’t pitched since July 3<\/a> due to knee inflammation, is expected to miss multiple turns in the rotation. Exactly how long remains to be seen.<\/p>\n \u201cThe rotation can keep going forward without Shohei, for the time being,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cI can\u2019t speak to how long that\u2019s going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Ohtani will still be the team’s everyday designated hitter. He revealed earlier this month that the knee injury impacted him more as a pitcher than hitter.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI believe it\u2019s more of a wear and tear,\u201d Ohtani said last week. \u201cBut in terms of the knee, I think it\u2019s more of my pitching mechanics. That\u2019s something I need to work on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe did this pitching,\u201d Roberts said Sunday. \u201cWhen he does swing the bat, it\u2019s the back knee versus the land knee, where you\u2019re kind of driving off of it to create torque when you pitch. And so there\u2019s no feeling of any sensation or any reason why we feel like we gotta stop hitting, no.\u201d<\/p>\n While Ohtani will be removed from the rotation for the foreseeable future, the Dodgers plan on keeping the six-man rotation intact. For now, the team will use bullpen games and spot starters without a clear No. 6 starter.<\/p>\n Roberts admitted that Ohtani likely could pitch at this point, but with the team holding a double-digit lead in the National League West, they’re able to exercise caution.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, a lot of it is where we\u2019re at and how we\u2019ve put ourselves in a good spot,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cCould he probably do it? Sure. But right now, the benefits just don\u2019t seem to outweigh the cost at this time of the season. So I think we still have plenty of time to get him to a good spot to then pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s why we\u2019re trying to be a little bit more on the proactive side,” he added. “So we don\u2019t have to worry about it throughout the end of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n So for now, Ohtani will just be a hitter, and the Dodgers suddenly have some question marks in the starting rotation.<\/p>\n While Blake Snell started a rehab assignment and Tyler Glasnow is getting closer to going on one<\/a>, the Dodgers don’t have any clear rotation reinforcements for at least the next month.<\/p>\n Whether that pushes the front office to add a starting pitcher ahead of the deadline remains to be seen.<\/p>\n Roberts did say he expects Ohtani to pitch again this season, but admitted that “I guess anything is possible.”<\/p>\n \u201cThe first step is getting him into a spot where he feels like, and we feel like, he can pitch and not regress,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n Sign up for our free newsletter<\/a> and follow us on X\/Twitter<\/a> and Facebook<\/a> for the latest news.<\/p>\n
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