Dave Roberts spoke about how the Los Angeles Dodgers were approaching a demanding stretch of games, addressing questions about how the pitching staff would be deployed across a doubleheader. He indicated that having Yoshinobu Yamamoto start the first game was seen as helpful, with the expectation that it would provide length and give the team flexibility heading into the second game.
Regarding the second game of the doubleheader, Dave Roberts explained that the decision on a starter had not yet been finalized and would likely depend on how the first game unfolded. He suggested that a bullpen approach for the second game made sense given the circumstances, while expressing confidence that the team was in a manageable position overall.
Dave Roberts also addressed a scheduling adjustment involving another pitcher, explaining that the change was connected to the broader situation surrounding Shohei Ohtani, who was not expected to start as a pitcher midweek. He described the approach as one aimed at giving Shohei Ohtani the best possible chance to reach a good place physically, noting that the pitching motion and the torque involved in landing placed particular strain that hitting alone did not create.
When asked whether a bullpen session had revealed the issue, Dave Roberts clarified that no such session had taken place, and that the assessment instead came from playing catch and monitoring how Shohei Ohtani felt on a daily basis. He said that this was sufficient for a conversation with the training staff, adding that the club preferred to err on the side of caution rather than test something whose outcome already seemed clear.
Dave Roberts said it remained undetermined whether the absence would amount to a full skip of a turn or simply a short delay, adding that it was not expected to resolve on a day-to-day basis. He emphasized that the rotation would continue to move forward without Shohei Ohtani for the time being, while stating that he could not say how long that period would last, and that he would decide on his use as a hitter as the day progressed. Dave Roberts added that although Shohei Ohtani could likely still perform in some capacity, the potential benefits did not currently seem to outweigh the associated cost at this point in the season.