The Los Angeles Dodgers are starting to find their groove again, but Shohei Ohtani is going through a rough patch at the plate, something all players experience. Balancing the demands of being a full-time pitcher and hitter is not easy. In fact, his best start this season came when he wasn’t in the lineup as a hitter.
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“Shohei Ohtani struck out 10 as a starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night, when he was excluded from the lineup as a designated hitter after being hit by a pitch this week. His 22 swings and misses against the New York Mets were a career high with the Dodgers. He struck out in the sixth inning on 14 pitches in the Dodgers’ 8-2 victory. The right-hander allowed one run and two hits in six innings. It was the first time since on May 28, 2021, with the Los Angeles Angels, that Ohtani has not been in the batting lineup during one start on the mound,” WFTV’s Beth Harris wrote.
Since then, there has been a constant question about whether Ohtani should pitch and hit in the same game. Heading into Tuesday’s contest, the original plan was for him to do both.
“Dave Roberts said he’s leaning toward Shohei Ohtani also hitting when he makes his next pitching start Tuesday in Houston,” Dodgers beat writer Bill Plunkett posted.
However, after Monday night’s game, manager Dave Roberts appears to have changed course and opted to let Ohtani focus solely on pitching.
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“Dave Roberts said before the game that he was going to have Shohei Ohtani as the designated hitter during his opening pitch tomorrow. But after tonight’s game, he said they were going to change course and just have Ohtani pitch. Ohtani walked a couple tonight, but went hitless again and is 0 for 17 in the last 5 games,” posted Dodgers beat writer Jack Harris.
This adjustment could be exactly what Ohtani needs: a brief break from hitting to reset at the plate. Taking the mound against the Houston Astros may help him take his attention away from his recent struggles.
There’s no doubt Ohtani will eventually find his groove again at the plate. Tuesday’s outing will serve as another test to determine whether focusing solely on pitching during his starts is the best approach moving forward.
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