Dodgers subtle move signals something is wrong with Shohei Ohtani
This can't be a good sign.
Dodgers subtle move signals something is wrong with Shohei Ohtani originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . It doesn't benefit the Los Angeles Dodgers in any way to come out and say it.
But right now, at least relative to the past, something must be a bit wrong with Shohei Ohtani . Ohtani again on Tuesday will just pitch and not hit, and while that would be normal for anyone else in baseball, it isn't normal for him. In recent years, Ohtani has been in the batting order on the days he pitches.
It's two-way mastery to the fullest extent. But this season, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has taken Ohtani's bat out of the lineup more often than not when he starts on the mound. Maybe the most concerning part here is that Roberts originally planned on Ohtani hitting Tuesday.
Only after his Monday night showing did Roberts change his mind. Ohtani is 0-for-17 at the plate in his last five games, so that's not an ideal selling point. MORE: Tyler Rogers is 51 degrees different than every other pitcher in MLB He also didn't have encouraging body language on Monday, according to Bill Blunkett of the Orange County Register.