Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani delays throwing session due to knee 'regression'

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/roberts-ethan/nH8GIzgF/"]Roberts[/a] said the 32-year-old right-handed pitcher felt uncomfortable after tossing a 30-pitch bullpen session in Philadelphia on Wednesday, but he has kept him in the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-dodgers/nwPDBpVc/"]Dodgers[/a]' batting lineup because hitting and running have not adversely impacted [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ohtani-shohei/QoeWGRko/"]Ohtani[/a]'s knee.[/p][p]Ohtani was in the lineup for the Dodgers as a designated hitter [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/los-angeles-dodgers-nwPDBpVc/new-york-mets-I5wWW4UM/?mid=OImP4mof"]for Saturday's game[/a] at the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-mets/I5wWW4UM/"]New York Mets[/a].[/p][p]"[b]We are not going to move forward (with throwing off a mound) until he feels 100 percent confident and we feel 100 percent confident that we should do it,[/b]" Roberts said.[/p][p]"[b]He just doesn't feel 100 percent. I think the last 'pen that he had, there was a little bit of regression. We want to make sure that doesn't happen again.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="441fd322-6e74-484d-841e-06ec20877251" url="https://x.com/JonHeyman/status/2081128901091209590?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Roberts said he was not concerned about the time off Ohtani had during the All-Star Game break last week, saying the knee has improved compared to before the break.[/p][p]"[b]You feel you can take the break. You come back and throw your 'pen and you can still build up,[/b]" said Roberts. "[b]The thought was he would throw one (Wednesday) and throw another one today. But it wasn't to be.[/b]"[/p][p]Ohtani, a four-time Most Valuable Player who has led the Dodgers to the past two World Series titles, is 8-2 on the mound with a 1.79 earned-run average over 85 2/3 innings, while at the plate he has averaged .286 with 22 home runs and 61 runs batted in.[/p][p]"[b]Not having him make these last two (pitching) starts is a bummer for everyone - for him, especially[/b]," Roberts said.[/p][p]"[b]Offensively, he has been really good. I think he could be better, but he's still an MVP[/b]."[/p]