Shohei Ohtani skipped a tentatively scheduled bullpen session Saturday and Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the two-way superstar won\u2019t throw off a mound again until his irritated left knee feels 100%.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just going to kick the can,\u201d Roberts said before his team played the New York Mets. \u201cI think like I said yesterday, we\u2019re not going to move forward until he feels 100% confident (and) we feel 100% confident that we should do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ohtani hasn\u2019t pitched in a game since July 3. But the Dodgers say his knee doesn\u2019t bother him while batting, and the four-time MVP has remained in the starting lineup regularly.<\/p>\n
The two-time defending World Series champions began the day with the best record in the majors at 66-38 and an 11-game lead in the NL West over Arizona.<\/p>\n
Ohtani received a lubricant injection just before the All-Star break and Roberts\u00a0said last weekend it would be \u201csome time\u201d\u00a0before Ohtani makes his next appearance as a pitcher.<\/p>\n
The right-hander then\u00a0threw about 30 pitches off a mound Wednesday\u00a0during a bullpen session in Philadelphia, but Roberts said Ohtani felt a \u201clittle bit of regression.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was obviously not ideal, him throwing his last bullpen and going backwards essentially,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cSo obviously that\u2019s disappointing because you throw a bullpen, you continue to build up. So that was disappointing, but as far as worry, concern, we don\u2019t have any of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ohtani is 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85 2\/3 innings over 14 starts on the mound this season and has won his past six decisions. He entered Saturday batting .286 with 22 homers, 61 RBIs and a .920 OPS.<\/p>\n
In other injury updates, two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell made a second rehab start Friday night for Triple-A Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n
Sidelined since his season debut May 9 because of loose bodies in his pitching elbow, the left-hander threw 49 pitches and allowed one run and two hits in 2 2\/3 innings. Roberts said Snell likely will progress to four innings in his third rehab outing.<\/p>\n
Star closer Edwin D\u00edaz (right elbow surgery) will make another rehab appearance Sunday for Oklahoma City and, if all goes well, the right-hander is expected to be activated from the injured list Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Tyler Glasnow, on the 60-day IL since May 8 because of low back spasms, threw 25 pitches in one simulated inning Friday. Glasnow will pitch in another simulated game next week when the Dodgers return home and might start a rehab assignment after that.<\/p>\n
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