The Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon despite not having Shohei Ohtani in his usual two-way role.
The 31-year-old was out of the Dodgers lineup for only the seventh time this season, but still managed to make his 12th pitching start amid some left knee trouble and a blister on his right middle finger.
Ohtani wasn’t his usual effective self as he tied a season-high with four runs allowed in six innings of work. However, he still earned his seventh win of the season thanks to Freddie Freeman’s go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning.
With two outs in the frame, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the decision to use Ohtani as a pinch-hitter for Miguel Rojas. Ohtani ended up grounding out to shortstop, but because he changed positions, L.A. lost the designated hitter spot for the remainder of the game.
How the Dodgers used Shohei Ohtani to pinch-hit
Under MLB rules, Ohtani technically did not take his at-bat as a pinch-hitter. By rule, the designated hitter spot is in place of the pitcher. Thus, it is within the rules to allow the pitcher to bat for himself.
However, that did require the Dodgers to forfeit the DH in their lineup, and had it come up again, the relief pitcher that was currently in the game was due to bat. Of course, the Dodgers had the option of using a player off their bench to pinch-hit if that scenario came to be.
“I think that was more of he can hit a homer,” Roberts explained of having Ohtani bat instead of Rojas. “I talked to him, and he said he felt really comfortable about taking the at-bat. That was the only chance we would have to hit him in that inning. So I just felt like use that bullet, and then you still have (Max) Muncy and Wardo (Ryan Ward) later.”
Although the Dodgers took the lead before Ohtani’s at-bat, Roberts had already made up his mind that the four-time MVP Award winner was going to pinch hit for Rojas.
“If we weren’t ahead, would I have fired that bullet? Probably less likely,” Roberts noted. “But again, there isn’t much cost if he feels he can take the at-bat, whether you’re up one, down one, or whatever.”
Shohei Ohtani rule
MLB implemented the “Shohei Ohtani rule” beginning with the 2022 season, which allows teams to list a player as the pitcher and designated hitter on the day he starts, then remove him in one role but not the other.
But because Ohtani did not also start at designated hitter in Wednesday’s series finale against the Rays, they couldn’t keep his bat in the lineup beyond his pinch-hit appearance.
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