Dodgers not counting on Ohtani to pitch at start of the season following shoulder surgery

SAN ANTONIO -- The Dodgers aren't counting connected Shohei Ohtani to transportation astatine nan commencement of adjacent play and will hold to spot really his rehabilitation progresses following enarthrosis surgery connected his non-throwing arm.

Ohtani had a process Tuesday to repair a torn labrum successful his near shoulder, an wounded sustained while sliding during a stolen-base effort successful Game 2 of nan World Series connected Oct. 26. The two-way prima did not transportation this twelvemonth while recovering from elbow room connected Sept. 19, 2023.

“We’re going to return it portion by portion and get done this and past return it successful one-, two-week chunks and make judge that we’re successful a really bully spot connected each of those benchmarks and past spell from location and not effort to say, ‘Hey, we request to beryllium fresh by this day,"’ wide head Brandon Gomes said Wednesday. "We’re going to fto nan rehab process play out.”

After signing a grounds $700 million, 10-year contract, nan 30-year-old Ohtani deed .310 pinch 54 homers, 130 RBIs and 59 stolen bases, becoming nan first subordinate pinch astatine slightest 50 homers and 50 stolen bases successful a season.

“I deliberation it's safe that he will not bargain 50 bases adjacent year,” Gomes said. “I person a hunch. I don’t want to count it retired because I don’t ever stake against Shohei.”

Gomes said left-hander Clayton Kershaw had room Wednesday but he could not spell into specifications because nan three-time Cy Young Award victor was a free agent.

He besides said Mookie Betts is apt headed backmost to nan infield adjacent twelvemonth and nan World Series champions would for illustration to scope a caller statement pinch head Dave Roberts, whose existent woody runs done adjacent season.

Ohtani was operated connected by caput squad expert Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

“The rehab stages person different little strength exercises and whitethorn conscionable beryllium movement,” Gomes said. “Our trainers and capacity coaches and doctors are each successful lockstep connected that and we’ll beryllium pinch him on nan way.”

Ohtani has stopped his throwing program.

“He astir apt would person stopped throwing anyhow pinch nan offseason but he needs to retrieve from this and past get that backmost up,” Gomes said.

Los Angeles expects to person right-handers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Tyler Glasnow fresh for opening day. Yamamoto was sidelined by correct triceps tightness betwixt June 15 and Sept. 10, Glasnow didn't transportation aft Aug. 11 because of correct elbow tendinitis, Gonsolin spent each of 2024 recovering from Tommy John room and May didn't transportation this twelvemonth pursuing elbow and esophagus operations.

Betts started nan play astatine shortstop, collapsed his near manus connected June 16 erstwhile deed by a transportation and moved to correct section erstwhile he returned connected Aug. 12. His displacement backmost to nan infield is simply a merchandise of trying to protect his assemblage and nan desire of nan 32-year-old, an eight-time All-Star.

“That's not group successful chromatic but I deliberation conscionable nan toll of nan outfield and I deliberation it’s really difficult connected guys bouncing backmost and forth,” Gomes said. “We’ll person those much in-depth conversations soon and get immoderate clarity connected it.”

Roberts started arsenic Dodgers head for nan 2016 play pinch a three-year statement that included a squad option, agreed successful December 2018 to a four-year statement and past successful March 2022 to his latest deal, which runs done 2025. He has a 851-506 record, starring nan Dodgers to a brace of World Series titles and 4 NL pennants.

“We want Dave present arsenic agelong arsenic we tin spot retired and we’ve had occurrence pinch doing extensions successful nan past pinch him,” Gomes said. “We expect astatine immoderate constituent this offseason talking done that.”

Kershaw said Friday he was going to person operations connected his near large toed and knee. The 36-year-old didn't make his play debut until July 25 pursuing enarthrosis room and was constricted to 7 starts, going 2-2 pinch a 4.50 ERA. He didn't transportation aft Aug. 30 because of nan toed injury.

Kershaw connected Monday declined a $10 cardinal subordinate action that would person allowed him to gain $15 cardinal successful capacity bonuses.

“He’s a precocious privilege for us,” Gomes said.

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