LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is set to make his fourth starting appearance this Saturday, as confirmed by Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts earlier this week. Meanwhile, the team also announced that reliever Michael Kopech has joined the growing list of pitchers on their injured list, becoming the 12th to do so.
Ohtani, known for his dual role as both a pitcher and a hitter, will take the mound as an opener in the game against Houston. Following Ohtani’s start, Justin Wrobleski is anticipated to step in as the bulk pitcher. In his most recent outing in Kansas City, the Japanese sensation delivered a solid performance, throwing 27 pitches over two scoreless innings — his longest stint this season — surrendering just one hit, while recording a strikeout and issuing a walk.
Concerning Michael Kopech, he underwent scans on his right knee that fortunately did not reveal any major issues. The 29-year-old pitcher received treatment to alleviate inflammation in the knee. “I don’t think it’ll be a long-term situation,” remarked Roberts optimistically on Tuesday.
Kopech’s move to the injured list has been made retroactive to Saturday. He previously missed a substantial portion of the season, a total of 64 games, while he rehabilitated from a right shoulder impingement experienced during the previous year’s postseason campaign. In his eight appearances this season, Kopech successfully delivered seven scoreless innings.
To fill the gap left by Kopech, the team recalled right-hander Will Klein from Oklahoma City, a mere five days after he was sent down to the Triple-A squad. Klein, who was acquired on June 2 from Seattle in exchange for left-hander Joe Jacques, demonstrated his prowess by pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings in two appearances earlier in the Dodgers’ season.
Additional updates regarding the team’s pitching roster include news on Japanese rookie talent Roki Sasaki. Sasaki has made significant progress in his recovery from shoulder discomfort, reportedly symptom-free and engaged in throwing exercises on flat ground. Manager Roberts observed marked improvements in his velocity, effort, and intensity, describing his condition as “physically good” and expressed optimism about Sasaki’s progress, though the timing for his return to the mound remains uncertain.
Furthermore, Tyler Glasnow, recovering from shoulder inflammation, is slated for a rehab start on Thursday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. The right-hander aims to stretch his outing to five innings with a 75-pitch limit. Additionally, both Blake Snell and reliever Blake Treinen are scheduled to face batters on Wednesday as part of their recovery processes from shoulder and forearm injuries, respectively.