Shohei Ohtani continues his rehab, eyeing a potential return to the mound in the postseason. Meanwhile, the Dodgers face a setback in Tyler Glasnow's recovery from elbow tendinitis.
Shohei Ohtani may not be making headlines for his pitching prowess this season, but that doesn't mean he's given up on returning to the mound. The two-way star has been working hard in his rehab, and manager Dave Roberts hasn't ruled out the possibility of him pitching in the postseason.
"Anything is possible," Roberts said. "I hope that's on his mind as far as motivation for his rehab. The odds of it coming to pass are very slim, but they're not zero."
Ohtani's Mound Return, Dodgers' Injury Woes: Postseason Pitching Possibilities and Glasnow Setback
Ohtani has not pitched this season after undergoing elbow surgery. However, he's having a potentially historic campaign as the Dodgers' designated hitter, aiming to become the first player with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a major league season.
Going into the opener of a four-game series in Atlanta, Ohtani had 47 homers and 48 stolen bases, putting him on pace to surpass 50 in both categories with 16 games left in the regular season.
While the odds of Ohtani pitching in the postseason may be slim, his determination to return to the mound is undeniable. If he can make it back, it would be a major boost for the Dodgers' championship aspirations.
Amidst the optimism surrounding Ohtani's potential return, the Dodgers suffered a setback in Tyler Glasnow's recovery from elbow tendinitis.
Glasnow, who is 9-6 with a 3.49 ERA, was expected to pitch a simulated game on Friday. However, the session was cut short during his warmups in the bullpen when he felt arm discomfort. This raises concerns that his injury may be more serious than initially thought.
Glasnow went on the 15-day injured list on August 16 in what was described as a precautionary move. But the latest setback suggests that his injury may be more significant.
"Obviously, it's a setback," Roberts said. "I don't know what that means as far as the coming days. I do know that we're just going to kind of reassess and see how it feels over the next couple of days and see when we can pick up the ball again."
The Dodgers are clearly concerned that Glasnow may not be able to pitch again this season, another blow to an injury-plagued rotation.
"It's certainly not helpful and positive," Roberts said.
