Dodgers Push Back Shohei Ohtani’s Pitching in San Diego After Hit By Pitch
The Los Angeles Dodgers are postponing Shohei Ohtani’s weekly live batting practice pitching session again, this time by one day.
Los Angeles initially delayed Ohtani’s live batting practice session to Monday for when the Dodgers return to California to play the San Diego Padres. The weather will be better, and the game is in the evening rather than the day games on Saturday and Sunday.
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However, Ohtani was hit in the left foot by a pitch in the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ 7-3 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.
The Dodgers decided to postpone Ohtani’s live batting practice session one more day as a precautionary measure.
“Just because of the foot thing and we’re going to travel (Sunday night) so we’re going to give him an extra day so it’ll be on Tuesday,” Roberts said.
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Although Ohtani limped to first base after being hit by the pitch, the two-way player was not injured.
“His foot’s okay,” Roberts said.
Tuesday will be Ohtani’s third live batting practice session since coming back from 2023 surgery to repair his UCL.
There is still no confirmed date for when the reigning National League Most Valuable Player will return to the mound. However, the right-handed starting pitcher could return sometime after the All-Star break.
Ohtani has not pitched since 2023 in his last season with the Los Angeles Angels.
When the Dodgers signed Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract in December 2023, he had undergone his second major elbow surgery.
Then, Ohtani had arthroscopic surgery during this offseason to repair a labrum tear he sustained during the World Series.
The operation has not affected his batting, as he continues to lead the National League in home runs (23), runs (66), slugging percentage (.633) and OPS (1.021).
However, Ohtani remains unavailable to pitch in a time when the Dodgers’ rotation is severely depleted by injuries.
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Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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