Dodgers two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani only had one job to worry about Wednesday.
Ohtani was the Dodgers’ starting pitcher Wednesday against the Mets, but for the first time since 2021, he was not also in the lineup as a hitter. The decision, however, didn’t reflect a change in philosophy by the Dodgers.
“If it weren’t for the hit by pitch [Monday], he would’ve been DHing and pitching tonight,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game.
Ohtani was hit in the back of his right shoulder by a 94-mph sinker on Monday. Though that didn’t prevent him from serving as the designated hitter the first two games of the series, the Dodgers wanted to lighten the load Wednesday.
“Just feeling what gives him the best chance to stay loose during the outing, feel good,” Roberts said. “There’s still some soreness in there. When he’s hitting, there’s a component that he’s in the cage getting ready to hit, and if we can take that off his plate and just focus on one thing tonight, we felt — training staff, pitching coaches, myself — we just felt it was the best thing for him. So, once I told him, he completely understood.”
When asked what Ohtani’s initial reaction had been, Roberts widened his eyes in an impressively accurate impression of one of Ohtani’s patented facial expressions.
The next time Ohtani takes the mound, he is expected to also hit. But Roberts didn’t rule out again having Ohtani just pitch if a similar situation arises.
“It’s something I’m going to keep an eye on if it makes sense, but not just kind of do it proactively,” Roberts said. “It’s something that’s … got to make sense to not have your best hitter not in the lineup.”
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