A secondary injury appears to be delaying Shohei Ohtani from getting back on the mound.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way star has not pitched since a July 3 start against the San Diego Padres due to a lingering left knee issue. On Tuesday, Ohtani told reporters that his bicep is also “not 100 percent” as he works his way back into the Dodgers’ rotation.
Ohtani threw a 31-pitch bullpen session last Wednesday during the team’s road trip to Philadelphia. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said during his press conference Tuesday that neither Ohtani’s knee nor his bicep had responded well after the session, prompting the team to halt his ramp-up back to the mound.
Roberts also shared that one of Ohtani’s injuries may be partly worsening the other.
“There is an effect on the lower half to the compromising of the upper half, the arm,” Roberts said, via the New York Post’s Jack Harris. “So trying to mitigate that, we stopped the throwing, stopped the bullpens. Hopefully No. 1, take care of the knee, and then not try to have him create velocity with the arm that’s not 100%.”
Ohtani, who missed a game as a hitter earlier this month due to his bicep injury, clarified to reporters that the team is taking a cautious approach with the postseason still months away. He added the conversation would be “a little different if we’re in August or September.”
Despite all the injury talk, Ohtani was as effective as ever on the plate Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners. The Japanese slugger went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs and a walk in a 7-6 loss.
