SACRAMENTO –– Shohei Ohtani’s next pitching start is getting pushed back a couple days, with the two-way star now set to take the mound on Friday back in Los Angeles against the Padres, and not Wednesday’s series finale against the Athletics as originally scheduled.
The change in schedule comes as Ohtani continues to nurse a knee injury that manager Dave Roberts has said is still not 100%, and as the Dodgers navigate a stretch of 13 consecutive days with a game.
Ohtani last took the mound last Wednesday in Minnesota, giving up three runs (two earned) over six innings after overcoming some early miscommunication with catcher Dalton Rushing.
While the Dodgers’ reshuffled plan for the next couple days wasn’t immediately clear, it’s likely a bullpen game could factor into the equation.
The team freshened up its relief corps on Tuesday afternoon by recalling right-hander Wyatt Mills from triple-A Oklahoma City while designating for assignment Jonathan Hernández (who pitched multiple innings in Monday’s series-opening win against the Athletics).
The Dodgers have largely been able to avoid bullpen games this year thanks to their use of a consistent six-man rotation –– which they’ve maintained despite injuries to Blake Snell (who this week threw his second bullpen session since undergoing a loose body-removal surgery on his elbow in May) and Tyler Glasnow (who has once again resumed a throwing progression in his recovery from a back spasms issue).
The Dodgers don’t have an obvious triple-A option to call up for a spot start, with top pitching prospect River Ryan currently sidelined for the second time this year with a hamstring problem.
