Dodgers not quite themselves as Ohtani sits and Sasaki struggles

Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani was out of the lineup Friday against the Chicago White Sox a day after exiting the game with discomfort in the back of his left knee.

- By MAGGIE LEE

“Seeing him today, he feels fine-ish,” manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers’ 8-2 loss. “But just giving him an extra day is the smart thing to do.”

Ohtani underwent imaging on his left knee, according to Roberts, and it didn’t show anything beyond “normal wear and tear.” He underwent treatment Friday and was back in the lineup in the leadoff spot as the team’s designated hitter Saturday.

Roberts said Ohtani still is penciled in to take the mound Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium before the team’s day off Thursday.

“It’s something that I think we can manage,” Roberts said. “Not an [injured list] situation.”

Roberts initially was hopeful, after Ohtani left Thursday’s 8-6 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in the seventh inning, that he would not miss additional time. But at this point in the season, the Dodgers are incentivized to play it safe with Ohtani’s recovery.

“If it was another time of the season, he’d be in there,” Roberts said.

The back of Ohtani’s knee, where the swelling is concentrated, still is sore, Roberts said. The origin of that swelling is not entirely clear.