The expectation was he’d pitch after the All-Star break in July, but with the Dodgers pitching staff gashed by injuries, the team opted to give Ohtani the green light.

Shohei Ohtani could return to a major league mound in the next two weeks but Los Angeles Dodgers rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki has paused his throwing program and is set for a lengthy layoff.

Salernitana’s fight for survival has veered into chaos, with a bout of food poisoning hospitalising much of the squad halfway through their relegation showdown with Sampdoria.