Shohei Ohtani’s Surprise Pitching Debut Against Orioles Sparks Immediate Buzz After Glasnow’s Last-Minute Scratch
Well, twist my arm — the Dodgers’ pitching rotation has hit another snag this Friday. Just when you think the schedule’s locked, the unexpected happens. Tyler Glasnow, who was penciled in to start against the Orioles, had to step back due to some tightness in his back. That’s put the team in a bit of a scramble, and stepping up in his stead—none other than Shohei Ohtani himself. Yes, Shohei, who had been sidelined from a recent start because he wasn’t feeling 100%, decided to jump back on the mound just two days later. Talk about resilience and dedication.
Manager Dave Roberts shared that Ohtani felt ready and eager to take the ball tonight, which honestly speaks volumes about the guy’s grit. Meanwhile, the Dodgers remain cautiously optimistic about Glasnow’s back issue, aiming for his return early next week. With the team reeling from a recent sweep by the Pirates, Ohtani’s unexpected start might just be the spark they need to revive the energy and chase some wins.
There’s a lot riding on this sudden switch-up, and it’s fascinating to watch how these high-stakes adjustments unfold. If you’re itching for all the nitty-gritty details and the full story behind this pitching shuffle, you’d be wise to take a deeper dive.
The Dodgers’ pitching plans were thrown into flux again Friday.
The team’s scheduled starter for their series opener against the Baltimore Orioles, Tyler Glasnow, was scratched with what manager Dave Roberts said was back tightness. And in his stead, Shohei Ohtani was tapped to fill in on short notice, offering to take the ball two days after having his own scheduled pitching start on Wednesday scratched because of an illness.
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“Shohei was up to it, feels good physically,” Roberts said. “Wants the ball tonight.”
According to Roberts, the team is hopeful Glasnow’s issue is not serious. They are targeting to have him pitch again early next week.
Read more: Dodgers dominated by Paul Skenes as Pirates complete sweep: ‘It’s embarrassing’
“We just didn’t want to put him in harm’s way,” Roberts said. “It’s not something where we got to the point where he’s hurt or anything like that. It’s back stiffness. So we feel that to not take this start will allow him to be able to start hopefully early next week.”
In the meantime, Ohtani will be on the mound Friday for the first time since Aug. 27, when he completed his first five-inning start of the season in his continued progression back from Tommy John surgery.
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Roberts said Ohtani’s start Friday “could be a little shorter,” given the short-notice nature of how it came together.
But he was also hopeful that Ohtani’s willingness to take the mound now — as opposed to Monday, when he had been next scheduled to pitch — could provide the team a much-needed jolt, as they try to bounce back from a sweep against the Pirates in Pittsburgh earlier this week.
“For a guy who is a starter that’s got a routine, that was going to pitch a couple days later, to then change course speaks a lot to what this team needs,” Roberts said. “So I expect our guys to respond to that.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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