BALTIMORE (AP) — Shohei Ohtani was scheduled to start for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series at the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night after Tyler Glasnow was scratched due to back stiffness.
Ohtani was scratched from his previous start Wednesday due to a cough and manager Dave Roberts projects the five-time All-Star to pitch fewer than five innings.
The two-way star tossed five innings of two-hit ball Aug. 27, allowing one run with nine strikeouts for his first win of the
season in a 5-1 decision over the Cincinnati Reds.
“Given the circumstances, could be a little bit shorter (outing),” Roberts said. “He was excited about taking the baseball but it depends on how efficient he is.”
Glasnow felt something late Thursday night when the team plane landed. The back issue showed itself when he arrived at the ballpark and Glasnow is day-to-day, Roberts said.
“I think it’s just more of trusting the player and also knowing that he wants to be out there and feeling like we got ahead of it early,” Roberts said. “It’s not something that we got to a point where he’s hurt. It’s back stiffness. We feel like to not take this start will allow him to be able to start hopefully early next week.”
Ohtani is leading off Friday as the designated hitter again and Roberts said the three-time MVP wanted to be a critical piece to ending the club’s three-game slide.
“Shohei, to his credit, wants to pick us up,” Roberts said. “I really admire him for that.”
Catcher Will Smith still has some swelling in his right hand and did not play on Friday. Roberts believes Smith will have to play through the bone bruise for the rest of the season.
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