Ohtani's Pitching Return Delayed... Manager Roberts Says 'Full Recovery is the Priority'

The pitching return of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers appears to be delayed.

Ahead of the away game against the New York Mets in the 2026 U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) season held at Citi Field in New York today (July 25), Dodgers manager Dave Roberts met with local media and stated that Ohtani will not return as a pitcher within next week.

Manager Roberts said, "Ohtani is planning additional bullpen sessions instead of live game pitching," adding, "His current physical condition is not bad, but it takes sufficient time to fully recover his condition. We will not rush his return."

While playing as a two-way player despite experiencing left knee pain, Ohtani gave up his participation in the All-Star Game and concentrated on treatment, such as receiving injections during the All-Star break.

However, his knee condition has not completely returned to normal, and he checked his physical condition by throwing about 30 pitches in the bullpen on the 23rd.

Due to the aftermath of his knee injury, Ohtani has not been playing as a pitcher since the second half of the season, featuring only as a designated hitter.

This season as a pitcher, he has recorded 8 wins, 2 losses, and a 1.79 ERA, while as a hitter, he is performing with a batting average of 0.286, 22 home runs, 61 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.919.

Today, Ohtani stepped up as the leadoff designated hitter, going 2-for-4 with 1 RBI to lead the team to a 4-2 victory.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.