Ohtani to sit Thurs. so he can 'empty the tank' in two-way role vs. D-backs on Wed.
This browser does not support the video element.
PHOENIX -- One night after carrying out his full two-way duties, Shohei Ohtani will be out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the D-backs at Chase Field, manager Dave Roberts said.
For the third straight pitching start, Ohtani was in the lineup as a hitter for Wednesday night's game. The thought is that knowing that he'll be out of the starting nine the following day will allow him to "empty the tank" on both sides of the ball.
"I think him knowing he’s down tomorrow is mentally freeing going into tonight," Roberts said Wednesday. "And so, there is some value in him knowing he can empty the tank and know that he doesn’t have to go to it tomorrow as well."
The Dodgers have been mindful of how they manage Ohtani's two-way workload early in the season, and a big part of why he's getting Thursday off has to do with the schedule. With L.A. in the middle of a stretch of 10 games in 10 days, Roberts felt that building in some extra recovery for Ohtani would be to his benefit.
While there was a stretch this season where Ohtani was limited to "one-way" duties during his starts on the mound, the Dodgers have come to prioritize giving him recovery days after he pitches, based on conversations with Ohtani and the training staff. L.A. has generally tried to line up his starts in front of team off-days, but the schedule doesn't always allow for that.
"Today is going to be taxing more mentally because he’s trying to hit and pitch," Roberts said. "But tomorrow, just the overall body soreness and fatigue is something that, if we can manage that, it kind of gives us a chance to get through the next days after."
Like most great players, Ohtani wants to be in the starting lineup every day. Roberts has learned he has to be proactive when finding opportunities to spell him, which appears to be working out for all parties. After an extended slow start at the plate, Ohtani got a rare two-game reset as a hitter from May 13-14. Since then, he was hitting 27-for-65 (.415) with a 1.229 OPS, entering Wednesday.
"It never feels good, not writing him in the lineup," Roberts said. "But the two days did him some good."