CHICAGO — A day after making an early exit in the Dodgers’ Thursday night win over the Pirates with left knee inflammation, Shohei Ohtani remained out of the team’s lineup for Friday’s series opener against the White Sox.

According to manager Dave Roberts, there is still optimism that Ohtani could return to action later during this weekend’s series in Chicago. As of now, Ohtani is also still expected to make his next scheduled pitching start Wednesday.

Earlier Friday morning, Ohtani had imaging done on his knee that Roberts said produced “no findings” of a more severe injury. Roberts described Ohtani’s injury –– which produced swelling in the back of his knee Thursday night –– as just “normal wear and tear.”

“It’s something that I think we can manage. Not an IL situation,” Roberts added. “Just seeing him today, he feels fine-ish. But just giving him an extra day is the smart thing to do.”

For all of Roberts’ optimism, of course, Ohtani’s absence Friday was far from a best-case scenario. Following Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh, after all, Roberts expressed confidence about the two-way star being back in action Friday. 

Now, his return remains unclear, with Roberts hedging his expectations about when Ohtani might be back on the field.

“I expect him to make his [pitching] start on Wednesday, until I hear otherwise,” he said. “And I expect him to be in there either tomorrow or the next day, until I hear otherwise.”

Ohtani –– who arrived at Rate Field at 4 o’clock local time Friday, well later than the rest of the team –– has not spoken to reporters since leaving Thursday’s game.

What exactly triggered Ohtani’s injury is yet another unknown. On Thursday, Roberts said he believed it had happened on a stolen base attempt Thursday night. But after talking to Ohtani on Friday, he said the player couldn’t identify any particular moment that precipitated the swelling.

“We don’t know, he doesn’t know,” Roberts said. “I asked him if it was during the pitching, was it when he was hitting, when he was trying to steal a base? And there was no one incident. So I don’t know. I think that’s maybe a good thing.”

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Roberts also wasn’t sure if the injury was a residual effect of Ohtani’s 6 ⅔-inning pitching start on Wednesday –– which, unlike each of Ohtani’s previous four trips to the mound, was not immediately followed by a day off for the 31-year-old.

“I think it’s just more, like, the natural kind of evolution of limbs and body parts,” Roberts said. “The running, the swinging, the landing when you’re pitching. That’s just the natural –– what happens to your body. So I think that something probably just pissed it off a little bit. But now we can kind of manage the symptoms.”

Roberts did not believe that Ohtani’s injury was related to the surgery he had in 2019 to address a rare congenital condition in his kneecap.

He also said the slugger’s range of motion was good, and that “if it was another time of the season, he’d be in there.”

Still, until Ohtani actually returns, questions and concerns over his uncertain status will linger.

“[Not having him in Friday’s lineup was] just to give him an extra day,” Roberts said. “My hope is that he’s in there tomorrow. But if not, he’ll need another day.”