Alden GonzalezApr 15, 2026, 08:22 PM ETCloseESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.Follow on XMultiple Authors
Ohtani fans 10 batters in 6 innings vs. Mets (1:15)Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani puts on a masterful pitching performance striking out 10 Mets batters in six innings. (1:15)
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani was not in the starting lineup for his start day against the New York Mets on Wednesday, marking the first time in five years that Ohtani pitched but did not also hit.
The Los Angeles Dodgers made the decision two days after Ohtani took a 94 mph sinker to his upper back, near his right (pitching) shoulder, in Monday’s first inning. Ohtani remained in the game and started at designated hitter Tuesday night, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said keeping him out of the lineup Wednesday gave him “the best chance to stay loose” during his start.
“When he’s hitting, there’s a component that he’s in the cage, getting ready to hit,” Roberts said before the Dodgers’ 8-2 win. “If we can take that off his plate, and just focus on one thing tonight, we felt, training staff, pitching coaches and myself — we just felt it was the best thing for him. Once I told him, he completely understood.”
Ohtani pitched six innings, allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out 10 and walking two.
The last time Ohtani started a game on the mound but not in the lineup was May 28, 2021, the year before Major League Baseball instituted what’s known as “The Ohtani Rule,” which allows pitchers to spend entire games in the lineup if they also start at DH.
The hit by pitch was the biggest factor in the decision to not bat Ohtani, but coupling it with Thursday’s off day was also appealing, especially because the Dodgers will play their next four games at mile-high altitude in Denver.
“I think that 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. “I think it’s something that the game, Shohei — it’s got to make sense to not have your best hitter not in the lineup.”
Ohtani fans 10 batters in 6 innings vs. Mets (1:15)Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani puts on a masterful pitching performance striking out 10 Mets batters in six innings. (1:15)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani puts on a masterful pitching performance striking out 10 Mets batters in six innings. (1:15)
Alden GonzalezApr 15, 2026, 08:22 PM ETCloseESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.Follow on XMultiple Authors
CloseESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.Follow on X