Home / Dodgers News / Dodgers Have Not Ruled Out Shutting Down Shohei Ohtani as Pitcher Dodgers News Syndication Dodgers Have Not Ruled Out Shutting Down Shohei Ohtani as Pitcher Ohtani will not pitch Sunday or Tuesday, and the Dodgers will reassess his pitching future in Los Angeles with no new return date established. Los Royers 0 2 minutes read Facebook X Reddit Shohei Ohtani walks on the field at Truist Park during the Dodgers’ road trip to Atlanta. Credit: Vanessa Hoyt/DodgersBeat DETROIT, MI — The Los Angeles Dodgers have not ruled out shutting down Shohei Ohtani as a pitcher after eliminating Sunday and Tuesday as possible return dates and removing any target for his next start. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed after Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers that Ohtani will not pitch in Sunday’s series finale. Tyler Glasnow will start instead. Roberts also ruled out Tuesday, which had been discussed as a fallback if Ohtani could not return in Detroit. The Dodgers will wait until they return to Los Angeles before meeting with Ohtani and determining whether continuing his pitching buildup makes sense this season. Ohtani will remain in the lineup as the designated hitter. “If any pitcher was feeling like this, we wouldn’t run him out there,” Roberts said. Dodgers Remove Target Date for Ohtani’s Pitching Return Ohtani appeared close to returning after facing Will Smith in a 30-pitch live session. He followed that workout with a shorter bullpen Friday, throwing approximately 20 pitches before stopping. Roberts said Saturday morning that Ohtani felt good after the bullpen but was not at 100% from an overall body and pitching standpoint. He initially left open a one-inning appearance Sunday while the Dodgers weighed the benefits of beginning the buildup against the cost of pitching him below full strength. That possibility was removed after further evaluation. Tuesday is no longer under consideration either, and the Dodgers have not circled another date. The delay leaves less time to stretch Ohtani out before the postseason. Los Angeles had hoped he could potentially reach five innings by the end of the regular season, with six innings identified as a possible October goal. Roberts has acknowledged that the five-inning regular-season target now appears less likely. No Decision Yet on Ending Ohtani’s Pitching Season Roberts said the Dodgers have not decided whether to stop Ohtani’s pitching program for the remainder of the season. The club will reassess his condition in Los Angeles before determining the next step. The uncertainty applies only to pitching. Ohtani’s physical issues have not prevented him from continuing as the Dodgers’ designated hitter, and the team plans to keep him in the batting order. Roberts said before Saturday’s game that he did not expect Ohtani to reach 100% as a pitcher by the end of the season. He noted that many pitchers remain effective without being fully healthy, but said the Dodgers needed to determine whether even a one-inning appearance was worth pursuing. Read Roberts’ full assessment of Ohtani’s condition. Ohtani has not pitched in a game since July 3. His attempt to return has been interrupted by discomfort involving his left knee and right biceps, though he has continued progressing through throwing sessions. The Dodgers had been preparing to use a length pitcher behind Ohtani while he built his workload one inning at a time. With no return date and the calendar moving into September, the club must now decide whether there is enough time and benefit to continue that plan. Roberts initially said he could not interpret Ohtani’s abbreviated bullpen until he spoke with the two-way star and pitching coach Mark Prior . More Dodgers Coverage: For the Latest Dodgers news today, visit our news hub Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel ? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors! Los Royers Share this: Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Related Tags 2026 Dodgers Rotation Dave Roberts Dave Roberts Dodgers Dave Roberts Ohtani Dodgers rotation Dodgers Rotation 2026 Dodgers Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Dodgers Mark Prior Shohei Ohtani Shohei Ohtani 2026 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers Shohei Ohtani pitching return ドジャース ドジャースニュース 大谷翔平 大谷翔平 ドジャース 大谷翔平 投手 大谷翔平 投手復帰 大谷翔平 最新情報 大谷翔平先発 Los Royers 0 2 minutes read Facebook X Reddit Share Facebook X Reddit Share via Email
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: dodgersbeat.com