Ohtani skips – Shohei Ohtani will skip his scheduled pitching start Wednesday against the Athletics to get extra rest, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, with Ohtani set to pitch in San Diego on Friday. Roberts said the Dodgers will use a bullpen game in Ohtani’s absence and
In the middle of a brutal stretch, Shohei Ohtani is getting one less task.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the two-way star will skip his scheduled pitching start on Wednesday against the Athletics to get “some extra rest.” The decision comes with Los Angeles in the middle of playing 13 games in 13 days. and Roberts wanted to make sure the Japanese sensation had time to recover.
Ohtani is slated to pitch in San Diego on Friday. Roberts framed the timing as a simple move with clear benefits—less workload now, more flexibility right after.
“If there’s any opportunity to give him some extra rest. we’re going to try to take advantage of it. ” Roberts said. “So pushing him to Friday allows us to have him still take two starts before the break and get on two division opponents. In that vein, there’s just no downside. This made too much sense.”.
The numbers explain why the Dodgers can afford to be careful. Through 13 starts this season, Ohtani is 8-2 with a 1.58 ERA. He has 82 strikeouts and 24 walks in 79 2/3 innings, a workload that Roberts clearly isn’t willing to risk during a dense schedule.
Roberts also said Ohtani will be the Dodgers designated hitter for the series finale against the A’s on Wednesday. He added that the call was driven by the calendar, and that Ohtani agreed with the plan.
“It’s mostly schedule-driven,” Roberts said. “We talked to Shohei and he was agreeing to whatever we felt, knowing it’s best for him. There’s no downside with him losing starts, get more rest. That was the whole driver.”
Without Ohtani taking the mound on Wednesday, the Dodgers will go with a bullpen game in his absence.
Shohei Ohtani Dodgers Athletics Dave Roberts MLB bullpen game San Diego designated hitter 13 games in 13 days