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By Ethan Carter — 20 July 2026 — 4 min read

Ohtani’s pitching status

Shohei Ohtani, a prominent player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, will not make his scheduled pitching start on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated that Ohtani will not pitch for “some time,” clarifying that it is not a day-to-day situation. This decision follows initial reports regarding his recovery from an injection in his left knee, which showed promising signs. However, after evaluating his knee’s response to playing catch, the team opted to give him additional time.

Roberts explained that the torque involved in landing on his leg during pitching tends to irritate Ohtani‘s knee. While he will continue his duties as a designated hitter, the exact timeline for his return to the mound remains uncertain. Despite this, Roberts has ruled out shutting down Ohtani from pitching for the remainder of the season. The team’s cautious approach is partly due to their strong position in the standings, as Los Angeles is currently progressing towards another NL West title.

Ohtani‘s last pitching appearance was on July 3, where he allowed three earned runs over six innings in a 4-3 victory against the Padres. He had previously skipped his last scheduled start before the All-Star break and also missed the All-Star Game to allow for rest and receive an Orthovisc shot in his knee. The Dodgers‘ management of Ohtani‘s rest has been consistent throughout the year, including occasional off-days from his designated hitter role.

Impact on the Dodgers’ rotation

The decision to delay Ohtani‘s pitching return is considered precautionary, with the team prioritizing his health for October. Roberts noted that the benefits of pushing him to pitch now do not outweigh the potential costs at this point in the season. The knee issue does not appear to be affecting Ohtani‘s hitting, as he recorded two hits in the Dodgers‘ 8-2 win over the Yankees in the first game of a doubleheader.

The Dodgers have managed various injuries across their roster in recent years, maintaining success due to their depth of talent. With Ohtani currently unavailable to pitch, and both Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the 60-day injured list, the team’s rotation still includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Justin Wrobleski, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, and Eric Lauer. Yamamoto recently delivered a complete game, holding the Yankees to four hits and striking out seven, improving his record to 10-6.

To fill Ohtani‘s spot, Emmet Sheehan‘s start was moved to Monday, with Justin Wrobleski and Eric Lauer slated to start other games against the Phillies. Blake Snell is also progressing in his return from the injured list, having thrown 1-1/3 innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday as part of his rehab assignment. He is scheduled to pitch again on Friday, targeting three innings. The Dodgers are committed to a six-to-seven man rotation, and with upcoming off-days, they may not require a sixth starter until the end of the month.

Looking ahead

The Dodgers‘ focus remains on ensuring Ohtani and other injured players are healthy for the postseason. They are not expected to rush Snell‘s return, despite the current pitching absences. The team’s strong performance and assured playoff ticket allow them to provide Ohtani, Snell, and Glasnow the necessary time for recovery throughout the regular season. The possibility of acquiring another depth starter before the August 3 trade deadline is also being considered if concerns about the rotation’s health increase.

Roberts emphasized the proactive approach in managing Ohtani‘s knee, aiming to get him to a point where he is not concerned about it for the rest of the season. Ohtani‘s 2025 season saw him post a 2.87 ERA over 47 regular-season innings as a pitcher, followed by an additional 20 1/3 innings in the playoffs, after undergoing UCL surgery that kept him from pitching in 2024. The Dodgers are prioritizing his long-term health and effectiveness.

The team’s depth has been crucial in navigating injuries, including those to Snell and Glasnow. River Ryan, a top pitching prospect, is also recovering from a hamstring injury and is throwing off a mound again, though he still needs to build up his workload to that of a starter. Ohtani had a 4.38 ERA in his last 24 2/3 innings pitched.

Source: mlbtraderumors.com