Dodgers might keep Ohtani out of lineup during pitching starts - ESPN

SAN FRANCISCO — Shohei Ohtani's career-best 53-game on-base streak ended on a night he pitched six scoreless innings.

It's something only Ohtani could achieve, but the two-way superstar could be having games like that a little less often.

«I'm focused, as a leadoff hitter, to get on base. As long as I feel good overall, the result will follow,» Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. «It hasn't been the case [lately].»

Before Wednesday's 3-0 loss to San Francisco, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made it clear he's committed to Ohtani's health and keeping him fresh to perform both on the mound and at the plate for the long haul.

And that might look different by the day or week, depending on how Ohtani is feeling.

«I'll always let the manager make that final decision and I'm always going to be prepared when I'm starting that I'm hitting,» Ohtani said. «But if it makes sense as a team to occasionally put a guy in as a DH or hit later, that's fine as well. I wouldn't want to say more aside from that.»

For some games, that could mean Ohtani pitches but doesn't bat as the designated hitter — and Roberts plans to keep his options open.

Ohtani was solid on the mound again for the Dodgers in the loss to the Giants, allowing no earned runs for the third time in four starts this season. A week earlier, Ohtani was held out of the lineup while pitching for the first time since 2021 because he was still sore from getting hit by a pitch.

Ohtani batted in his customary leadoff spot Wednesday and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, hitting a fly ball to left in his last at-bat. That ended an on-base streak that matched Shawn Green for the second-longest in Dodgers history. Duke Snider owns the team record at 58 games from May