Shohei Ohtani, still sore from hit-by-pitch, pitches but doesn’t bat for first time since 2021
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani struck out 10 as the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night, when he was held out of the lineup as designated hitter after getting hit by a pitch this week. His 22 swing and misses against the New York Mets were a career high with the Dodgers. He struck out the side 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 really good to watch him just focus on one thing,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Just channeling all that energy into pitching was helpful.
The last couple outings I felt he was fighting himself a little bit at times, but tonight he was unusually good. ” It was the first time since May 28, 2021, with the Los Angeles Angels that Ohtani has not been in the batting lineup during a mound start. “In between innings felt a little longer than normal.
That was really the only difference,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I had pretty productive time being able to spend time on the game-planning side of things. ” Ohtani is still sore from being struck on the back of his right shoulder by a pitch from the New York Mets’ David Peterson on Monday.
The Japanese superstar let out a howl, but stayed in the game. “If it weren’t for the hit by pitch, he would’ve been DHing and pitching tonight,” Roberts said before the game. “But I do think that just to be able to pitch and focus on that will be a benefit for the mind and the body, and hopefully, we’re just in a little moment of fatigue and we can get past it.