Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani to Pitch but Not Hit Wednesday: Knee Still an Issue

Shohei Ohtani will step onto the mound at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, but he won’t bring his bat to the party. The two-way superstar is still dealing with inflammation in his left knee, according to David Vassegh, host of “Dodger Talk,” who reported the update from manager Dave Roberts.

“Shohei Ohtani’s left knee inflammation is not behind him, but will be managed moving forward, per Dave Roberts,” Vassegh reported. Ohtani, 31, plans to pitch through the discomfort, but the Dodgers are taking a cautious approach by pulling him from the designated hitter role for the game.

Katie Woo of The Athletic confirmed the strategy: “Ohtani will start tomorrow, but he won’t DH, Dave Roberts confirms.” That means instead of hitting in the lineup, Ohtani will focus solely on his pitching duties, giving the inflamed knee a break from the added stress of batting and base running.

Cy Young-Caliber Season on the Mound

Through 11 starts, Ohtani has been nothing short of dominant. He enters Wednesday with a microscopic 1.06 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP, along with 73 strikeouts over 67.2 innings. Those numbers put him squarely in the Cy Young Award conversation, and his performances have been a cornerstone of the Dodgers’ strong pitching staff.

At the plate, Ohtani has been just as dangerous. He’s hitting .297 with a National League-leading .419 on-base percentage, 15 home runs, 42 RBIs, and six stolen bases. Losing his bat from the lineup for a day is a blow, but the team believes managing the knee now could pay off down the stretch.

Plan for the Lineup

With Ohtani out of the DH spot, Miguel Rojas will take over as the designated hitter. Tommy Edman is slotted to lead off, with Andy Pages hitting second. The Dodgers will lean on their depth to support Ohtani’s pitching effort.

The team has not provided a timeline for when Ohtani might return to hitting, but the expectation is that this is a short-term adjustment. As the season pushes toward summer, keeping the two-way star healthy could be the difference between a division title and something deeper.