Shohei Ohtani is out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup again, making it the fifth time in six days he isn’t starting after just one game back. Manager Dave Roberts made it clear this isn’t a setback, but a strategic move, saying before Tuesday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, “He came out of yesterday well, but talking with the training staff, it’s more the thought of let’s build him up slowly.” This team knows what they are doing.
The Big Picture For Ohtani’s Return
So, Ohtani was sidelined for four games before returning Monday. In his first at-bat back, he flew out to deep left field, catching up to a 98.6-mph fastball from Chase Burns in the first inning. Later, he struck out twice and walked. Roberts seemed stoked about that flyout, even if it was an out. “He got to 99 at the top of the zone yesterday, flew out to left field. A week ago, he wasn’t close to catching up to that,” Roberts commented. This isn’t just about winning one game right now, is it? Roberts spelled it out, “It’s not just about tonight, obviously he’s not in the lineup. It’s about what we can do to get him optimum as we get into the postseason. I think a day here and there is not the worst thing, to make sure his body overall feels as good or close to 100 percent as possible.” They’re playing chess, not checkers, to get their star ready for the big dance.
Dodgers Get Creative With The DH Spot
With Ohtani getting a rest day, Freddie Freeman slid into the designated hitter spot, a rare sight for him. This marks just his fourth career start at DH, with previous ones in 2015 and twice in 2020 while he was with the Atlanta Braves. Kiké Hernández took over first base duty against Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo. Freeman becoming the 11th Dodger to start at DH this season really shows how much the team shuffles things around to keep everyone fresh. Ohtani leads the pack with 129 starts at DH, but guys like Teoscar Hernández, Dalton Rushing, Will Smith, Alex Call, Santiago Espinal, Miguel Rojas, Andy Pages, Ryan Ward, and Max Muncy have all had turns there. They’re still three players shy of their club record of 14 different DH starters set back in 2022, but it shows they are not afraid to mix it up.
The good news? Ohtani will be available in a “big spot” tonight, which means if the game comes down to it, he’s ready to pinch-hit and deliver. Even better, Roberts confirmed he’ll be back in the starting lineup tomorrow. You know he’s itching to get back out there and stay locked in as the Dodgers gear up to be “optimum” for the postseason push.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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