LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani delivered a dominant pitching performance Tuesday evening, recording nine strikeouts during six innings of work for the Los Angeles Dodgers while sitting out of the batting lineup for the second time this season.
The 31-year-old dual-threat athlete allowed two runs (one earned) and five hits while issuing three walks in the matchup against Miami. Ohtani threw a season-high 104 pitches for Los Angeles, with 67 finding the strike zone, before exiting with his team down 2-0.
This marked the second occasion in three weeks where Ohtani focused solely on pitching duties rather than serving as the designated hitter in the batting order.
“It’s almost like a half-day for him,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “I think that in itself is a win for his mind and body.”
Dalton Rushing stepped into both the designated hitter role and leadoff spot in Ohtani’s absence from the lineup.
Los Angeles is implementing a strategic approach to managing Ohtani’s responsibilities during his inaugural full campaign as a dual-role player while the franchise pursues a third consecutive championship.
“Obviously having him do both duties, theory, practice, it’s great,” Roberts said. “But how sustainable is it without kind of taking a little bit off his plate? That’s the question and it’s not exact science.”
Despite occasional control issues, Ohtani surrendered his second earned run across 30 innings this year, causing his ERA to rise from 0.38 to 0.60.
The performance came with Ohtani working on five days of rest for the first time this season, departing from his typical six-day schedule.
Ohtani’s achievement places him alongside Fernando Valenzuela from 1981 and his own 2024 campaign as the only Dodgers hurlers to surrender just one run through their first five seasonal starts. This year, Ohtani accomplished the feat while pitching only 9 1/3 innings.
The superstar is expected to return to hitting duties Wednesday afternoon for the series conclusion.
