WEST SACRAMENTO — Shohei Ohtani will still make two pitching starts before the All-Star break, but the Dodgers have decided to spread them out a bit.
Ohtani was scheduled to start Wednesday night against the A’s if the Dodgers’ rotation stayed on turn. That start will be pushed back to Friday night at home against the San Diego Padres instead.
The Dodgers will go with a bullpen game on Wednesday with Roki Sasaki scheduled to start Thursday.
The Dodgers have given Ohtani at least six days between pitching starts this season except for one start in late April on only five days’ rest. They are currently in a stretch of 13 consecutive games between off days and Ohtani would have made his next start on five days of rest again if the Dodgers did not alter the rotation at some point.
The Dodgers had informal plans to drop top pitching prospect River Ryan in for a spot start to stretch the rotation at some point, but Ryan is currently on the injured list in Triple-A for the second time with a hamstring injury.
“The thought behind it is we’re in the middle of 13 in a row. So if there’s any opportunity to give him some extra rest we’re going to try to take advantage of it,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “So pushing him (Ohtani) to Friday allows us to have him still take two starts before the break and get on two division opponents (the Padres this week and the Arizona Diamondbacks next week).
“In that vein, there’s just no downside. This made too much sense.”
Roberts said the blister Ohtani has dealt with on his pitching hand “wasn’t a factor” in the decision, but Ohtani has also been dealing with a sore left knee which causes him to miss a game about two weeks ago. Roberts has acknowledged that “I don’t think he’s 100 percent with his knee.” That wasn’t the “driver” behind the schedule change either, Roberts said.
“It wasn’t necessarily just the knee,” he said. “It’s more of, he’s been going on six days’ rest and if we can give him an extra day here, an extra day there without losing starts – it’s just an overall workload thought.”
The Dodgers have tried to manage that workload by giving Ohtani days off from DH as well. It’s possible that he gets more of that down time before the All-Star break.
“He’ll DH tomorrow,” Roberts said. “Is there a day off from DH-ing coming? Potentially. But I’ll have that conversation with Shohei. It’s just everything, overall – body workload, managing him as a full two-way player.”
ALL-STAR SHO
By receiving the most votes of any player during the first phase of All-Star voting, Ohtani is assured a spot in the National League’s starting lineup at DH. As the NL manager, Roberts will get to choose the starting pitcher. He would not rule out Ohtani.
“He’ll obviously DH and then we’ll go from there,” Roberts said. “I don’t know where he is with the pitching thing. We’ll see.”
Since he is in the starting lineup at DH, Ohtani would have to start the game as a pitcher. He couldn’t enter the game later (unless he was still in the game as DH). Roberts will have two compelling options other than Ohtani – Milwaukee Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski and hometown Phillies lefty Cristopher Sanchez.
Ohtani has only pitched in the All-Star Game once. He started for the American League in 2021 at Coors Field in Denver.
ROSTER MOVE
The Dodgers promoted right-hander Wyatt Mills from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday and designated right-hander Jonathan Hernandez for assignment. Hernandez had an 8.15 ERA in 12 appearances for the Dodgers.
Mills had a 2.64 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 30⅔ innings at OKC this season. This is his second promotion. He allowed three runs in 3⅓ innings over four appearances with the Dodgers earlier this season.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (TBA) at A’s (RHP J.T. Ginn, 6-4, 3.25 ERA), Wednesday, 6:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM