LOS ANGELES -- For the first time in years, Shohei Ohtani will not hit in a game where he starts on the mound.
Ohtani is the starting pitcher for the Dodgers' series finale against the Mets on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium (7 p.m. PT/10 ET on ESPN), but he will not hit. Kyle Tucker moved up to the leadoff spot in his place, and Dalton Rushing got a start at designated hitter without Ohtani in the lineup.
The last time Ohtani did not hit while pitching was on May 28, 2021, before the "Ohtani rule" allowing two-way players to remain in the lineup after exiting a start on the mound was adopted ahead of the '22 season.
Here's a breakdown of why the Dodgers made this decision and what it means for them:
Why is Ohtani not hitting?
Ohtani was hit by a pitch on the back of his right shoulder by Mets starter David Peterson on Monday. Manager Dave Roberts said that the hit-by-pitch would not prevent Ohtani from making his next pitching start, but Ohtani went 0-for-7 afterward.
"If it weren’t for the hit-by-pitch," Roberts said, "he would’ve been DHing and pitching tonight."
Last Wednesday in Toronto, after Ohtani extended his MLB-best streak of 28 2/3 innings without an earned run allowed, he said he did not feel his best due to a combination of fatigue and mechanical issues. That did not necessarily weigh into the decision-making for Wednesday, but the Dodgers generally try to do what they can to have Ohtani feel his best on the mound.
“Just feeling what gives him the best chance to stay loose during the outing, feel good," Roberts said. "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."
Is there a chance Ohtani will hit?
Notably, the "Ohtani rule" does not apply in this situation. When Ohtani hits and pitches in a game, he's essentially on the lineup card as two people: a DH and a pitcher. When Ohtani the pitcher exits a game, Ohtani the DH remains in the game.
With Ohtani only starting as a pitcher, he can't move to the designated hitter once he's done on the mound or pinch-hit later in the game. He could move from pitcher to another defensive position -- say, the outfield -- which would allow him to hit, but the Dodgers would lose the DH spot.
That arrangement would likely be more complicated than worthwhile anyway, but Roberts shut down any idea of Ohtani hitting on Wednesday.
“You can tell [Mets manager] Carlos Mendoza he’s an option, though," Roberts quipped.
Does this mean Ohtani's on-base streak is over?
No. On-base streaks do not end if a player does not take a plate appearance in a game. The longest active on-base streak in the Majors remains at 48 games and is intact until at least Friday at Coors Field.
How did Ohtani react to not hitting?
Roberts let his facial expression do the talking, mimicking the wide-eyed expression Ohtani often makes when something unexpected happens on the field.
"I think that we’re in a spot where I think that he understands that I’m making a decision that’s best for the player, for him, and for the team," Roberts elaborated.
Will Ohtani continue to hit on his start days moving forward?
For the most part, Ohtani is expected to fulfill his full two-way duties when he makes pitching starts, but the Dodgers could make an exception the next time a situation like Wednesday's arises. If he's dealing with a minor pain that won't affect his pitching, then L.A. may not push the two-way star further than necessary.