The date of the next start for the phenomenon Shohei Ohtani is yet to be defined, as the right-hander is dealing with a blow to the thumb from his pitching hand that he suffered when he was hit by a foul in the Angels’ dugout during Wednesday’s game. .
Angels manager Joe Maddon said they hope Ohtani can pitch at the end of the four-game series against the Rangers in Texas, which runs Monday through Thursday, or at the beginning of the three-game series at Dodger Stadium on Weekend.
But the injury remains unaffected as a hitter, playing Sunday as second batter and designated hitter against the Athletics.
“We don’t want him to go out there if he’s bothering him,” Maddon said.
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Ohtani has made 15 starts this season with a 3.04 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 80 innings. His most recent start was Monday, when he allowed one run in seven innings in a win over the Rockies.
Maddon said he would rather have Ohtani healthy and in the rotation, but indicated that Ohtani feels like pitching with more rest than usual and that the injury will not impact his work routine.
“Regardless of how much time passes between one opening and another, he remains the same,” Maddon said. “I’m not worried that he might throw 100 pitches after a couple of extra days off, but I also don’t think this extra rest is going to help him the rest of the way. He is someone unique. What he does between one opening and another is minimal, and then he goes out on the field and does what you see. That we delay it a bit does not worry me as I would worry if it were other boys who are really used to that structure ”.
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