There is nothing ordinary about Shohei Ohtani and his life on the baseball diamond. The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar isn’t just hitting this season; he is pitching too. Back to being himself as the two-way unique player he is. It’s something he couldn’t do with the Dodgers the first time around.
Now, Ohtani was pulled mid-at-bat in his previous start with the Cincinnati Reds. But thankfully, it was just leg cramps, nothing related to the Tommy John surgery he had to undergo last season. He will take the mound for the Dodgers to play against the Cardinals. And as dazzling as it looks to have him play under the bright lights, manager Dave Roberts and the Dodgers have been extremely careful incorporating Sho back into the pitching department.
He has already had two surgeries, and he is their key hitter. The Los Angeles Dodgers can’t lose the hitter in the process of showcasing the two-way phenom, right? Hence, they have been easing him in by pitching since June 16. He opened with one inning, then moved to two, then four in his last start. He was, of course, then pulled out for the cramps. Now, the maximum that he can pitch is set by Roberts.
Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times
“I think the five-inning threshold—we’re very comfortable with that right now,” Roberts said ahead of the Cardinals’ face-off. “Going forward, we’ll see if that changes, but I think for sure for the next few turns, I don’t see him getting beyond five. I feel very confident in that.” Roberts is waving the white flag, kind of. No matter how dominant he looks pitching, they are capping off the inning for now. Reason?
Roberts said ahead of Ohtani’s latest start against the Cardinals, “It’s been over two years since he’s done this. He’s still sort of getting adjusted to this lifestyle as far as the day-to-day. I don’t think he’s there yet.” According to Roberts, putting him beyond that pressure and workload isn’t worth the cost. At least not this season. For him, given that this is his first year back to pitching, what the Dodgers are doing is practical.
Still, whether he’s pitching or not, the Ohtani craze is real. Did you know thousands of fans showed up to the Dodgers stadium, not to watch the game but to get their hands on the World Series ring with Ohtani’s name? His craze is not going down at all. And along with him, there is news about another Japanese player, Roki Sasaki.
Positive update on Roki Sasaki’s comeback to the Dodgers
Blake Snell is back on the Los Angeles Dodgers roster from the injured list, and now Roki Sasaki is the last major piece of the Dodgers’ dream rotation who is still on the shelf. Well, even Tony Gonsolin! But let’s be real, even before Sasaki hit the IL with a shoulder issue, his debut season had not gone to plan. Given the hype that surrounded him in the off-season, the result was lukewarm at most.
Eight starts in, and those towering expectations he couldn’t shoulder. Plus, his progress updates by Dave Roberts have been more confusing than helpful. But on Tuesday, Sasaki himself spoke to the media, and the news was… positive. He mentioned that he is pain-free and set to throw three simulated innings over the weekend. And if all goes well, that means a rehab assignment for him next, and he is on track for a September return.
That’s great news, right? But what does it mean for the postseason? Well, Roberts has been cagey when asked if Sasaki could shift into the bullpen role. He mentioned, “I’m going to hold on to that one,” and got home, adding the team would take the best 13 arms. If the Japanese phenom cuts in, that’s great; if not, then… okay. The Dodgers won’t be asking Sasaki to be the flamethrower right away.
Plus, why do they have to, given Emmet Sheehan is pitching well and Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow, and Kershaw are potential postseason rotation names? But a strong September might need Sasaki in the mix. What do you think about Sasaki’s return?
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