LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Shohei Ohtani will make his scheduled start on the mound against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Ohtani (6-2, 1.06 ERA) left last Thursday鈥檚 game in Pittsburgh with He missed the next day’s game against the White Sox in Chicago, then returned for Saturday鈥檚 game. This will be his first start since the injury in Chicago.
Roberts said Tuesday the swelling in Ohtani鈥檚 knee had 鈥渃ompletely dissipated.鈥�
鈥淚 saw that he had just a catch-play right now,鈥� Roberts said of Ohtani鈥檚 work. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to do his touchy-feely deal from the mound in a little bit. I saw him play some catch. Looks good, feels good. Look forward to him making a start tomorrow.鈥�
Wednesday鈥檚 game against the Rays is an early afternoon start. It鈥檚 a tight window to prep and an early start.
鈥淗e likes his sleep. It鈥檚 certainly not ideal, but the calendar is the calendar,鈥� Roberts said. 鈥淗e鈥檒l get his rest and do what he can to post tomorrow. 鈥� Anyone that has anything that has a potential red flag, we鈥檒l certainly be watching closely. But again, he wouldn鈥檛 start if we felt that we were going to put him in harm鈥檚 way. He鈥檚 a competitor.鈥�
Asked if Ohtani will bat in addition to pitching, Roberts said he was undecided.
In his last pitching start last Wednesday, Ohtani gave up four runs 鈥� three earned runs 鈥� in 6 2/3 innings and the Dodgers lost to Pittsburgh, 9-8.
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