Ohtani won't pitch until weekend, could appear as DH before then

Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia announced that Shohei Ohtani, who is currently nursing an ankle injury he suffered running to first base as a hitter Friday, won't pitch until the weekend when the club travels to Seattle.

"He's just not right now ready to go out there and run full speed like you would like to see," Scioscia said, per Avery Yang of MLB.com.

Ohtani was officially ruled out of his scheduled start Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles, though Scioscia was initially optimistic that Ohtani would still be able to start the second or third game of the series. Instead, Ohtani could return to the lineup as the team's designated hitter, Scioscia told Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com.

The 23-year-old, who dealt with a blister issue earlier in the season, last pitched April 24 against the Houston Astros, when he lasted 5 1/3 innings and was charged with four earned runs, with five walks and seven strikeouts. In four starts, Ohtani has accrued 26 Ks to go along with a 3.87 FIP.