
Shohei Ohtani is pitching once again after not taking the mound all of last season. Since his return, the Los Angeles Dodgers have taken it slow with the superstar two-way player, as longevity is the goal. On Friday, manager Dave Roberts revealed how many innings he plans to have Ohtani pitch in his next outing.
Reports indicate that Roberts plans to have Ohtani pitch for two innings in Saturday’s matchup against the Houston Astros, according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. This will be the 30-year-old’s fourth game pitching for the Dodgers this season.
“Dave Roberts said the plan is to have Shohei Ohtani pitch two innings again tomorrow.”
So far, since returning from Tommy John surgery, the three-time MVP owns a 2.25 ERA and 1.000 WHIP while recording three strikeouts. He’s looked rather solid on the mound so far. Eventually, he’ll be playing many more innings for the Dodgers. But for now, Shohei Ohtani is on a minimal pitch count.
Usually, teams would have pitchers returning from injury go on a rehab assignment and pitch some games in the minor leagues. However, due to Shohei Ohtani being a two-way superstar, Dave Roberts and the Dodgers have to get creative and do a mini-rehab assignment in the majors. It’s a rare occurrence, as nobody is at the same level as Ohtani when it comes to playing as a pitcher and hitter.
Despite taking the mound on Saturday, the Dodgers are starting Ohtani in Friday’s game against the Astros. The Dodgers’ star is listed as a designated hitter and will be hitting first in the batting order. Ben Casparius is set to start on the mound for Los Angeles on Friday.
The good news is that Shohei Ohtani is hitting as well as he ever has this season. While nursing his arm and preparing to take the mound, he’s maintained his status as one of baseball’s best hitters in the league. Through 338 at-bats, Ohtani owns a .284 batting average and .385 OBP while recording 96 hits, 30 home runs, and 56 RBIs.