LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers have set the date for Shohei Ohtani's next start on the mound, which will come on Saturday -- his 31st birthday. First pitch against the Astros is set for 4:15 p.m. PT at Dodger Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on FOX.
It will mark Ohtani's fourth pitching appearance this season. He'll get an extra day of rest after throwing the fastest pitch in his Major League career -- 101.7 mph -- in his previous outing.
Ohtani tossed two scoreless innings on 27 pitches last Saturday in Kansas City. He pitched an inning apiece in two prior outings. He has recorded a 2.25 ERA, allowing one run across four innings.
As Ohtani continues to build up his workload at the big league level, he is essentially being used as a multi-inning opener. The team has purposefully taken things slowly in Ohtani's rehab from his second major surgery on his right elbow, and the plan is for him to pitch two innings on Saturday.
In Ohtani's first three starts, Ben Casparius followed as the bulk pitcher, but the Dodgers will instead have Justin Wrobleski provide length behind Ohtani this time around. Wrobleski has thrived since being shifted to long relief and has a 1.48 ERA in five appearances (24 1/3 innings) coming out of the 'pen.