Ohtani Set To Return To Mound Wednesday Vs Rays Sport By lines June 16, 2026 Shohei Ohtani will return to the mound on Wednesday. Shohei Ohtani starts for the Dodgers against the Tampa Bay Rays. Left knee swelling sidelined Shohei Ohtani for one start last week. Ohtani’s Knee Swelling Clears Ahead Of Rays Start Shohei Ohtani left last Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with left knee inflammation. Ohtani sat out Friday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. Ohtani returned to the lineup as a hitter on Saturday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani’s knee swelling had completely dissipated on Tuesday. Roberts pushed Ohtani’s start back one day to Wednesday. The Wednesday outing is Ohtani’s first start since the Pittsburgh injury. Shohei Ohtani hits and pitches as the Dodgers two-way player. Ohtani kept hitting in the Dodgers lineup through the knee recovery. The knee episode cost Shohei Ohtani only one scheduled mound turn. The Dodgers run a six-man rotation through the 2026 season. The six-man plan keeps Shohei Ohtani on one start per week. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani anchor the Dodgers rotation. The Dodgers rotation owns a league-leading 2.91 ERA in 2026. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow remain absent from the Dodgers rotation. Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan, and Roki Sasaki fill the remaining starts. Ohtani’s return restores the Dodgers two-way weapon for the stretch run. The six-man rotation gives Shohei Ohtani more than five days between starts. The extra rest limits Ohtani’s innings total late in 2026. The Dodgers built the six-man plan around Ohtani’s elbow and innings management. The plan pairs Shohei Ohtani with five other weekly starters. The structure protects Ohtani across the long 2026 campaign. Shohei Ohtani underwent elbow surgery before rejoining a pitching rotation. Shohei Ohtani eased back onto the mound through the 2025 season. The Dodgers have managed Ohtani’s pitching workload since the surgery. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow have missed time from the Dodgers rotation. The six-man group still posted the best rotation ERA in 2026. Shohei Ohtani rejoins that Dodgers group as the Wednesday starter. Shohei Ohtani faces the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday in the scheduled start. The Dodgers monitor Ohtani’s knee through the six-man rotation workload. Lines.com tracks Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani betting markets all season long. Related Sports Coverage Alvarez Makes MLB History in Astros 10-8 Win Strider Hits IL With Elbow Inflammation, Braves Reel Misiorowski Dominates Phillies With Historic 15-K Gem Sources: ESPN and MLB.com reported Shohei Ohtani starts Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays.
