Dodgers May Rest Shohei Ohtani from Lineup on Pitching Days

Shohei Ohtani’s latest game put his rare two-way brilliance on display, but also showed the Dodgers’ careful planning to keep him healthy and sharp for the long haul.

This piece digs into how his career-best 53-game on-base streak ended in a 3-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers’ management keeps their focus on health, workload, and making sure their star can last as both a pitcher and hitter.

Ohtani’s Streak Ends as Dodgers Fall to Giants in Six Scoreless Innings

The night really captured Ohtani’s unique skill set—he threw six shutout innings, but the Dodgers’ bats just went quiet against the Giants. His impressive on-base streak, which lasted over two months, snapped in a game where Los Angeles couldn’t get anything going at the plate, even with Ohtani dealing on the mound.

The Dodgers’ leadership, especially Dave Roberts, keeps hammering home a health-first approach with Ohtani. With a season that asks so much of him on both sides, they’re always thinking about how to keep him fresh—sometimes that means changing up his spot in the lineup, or even giving him a day off if something feels off.

Health-First, Two-Way Workload

Roberts said they might pull Ohtani from the lineup or use him at DH when it makes sense. He wants Ohtani ready to hit when he pitches, but not worn down. The manager has already shown he’ll rest Ohtani if he’s sore, like last week after a pitch hit him. Lineup strategies are all in play to keep him protected, especially during tough stretches of the season.

Ohtani has been open about putting health first. He’s admitted it’s tricky to stay productive as a leadoff hitter while also focusing on getting on base. That’s a huge part of his game, no matter where he hits in the order.

On-Base Streak and Hitting Context

The game ended a wild run: Ohtani’s 53-game on-base streak, tying Shawn Green for the second-longest in Dodgers history. Duke Snider’s 58-game record from 1954 still stands. It’s also the longest MLB streak since Orlando Cabrera reached base in 63 straight games back in 2006.

Ohtani went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, snapping his streak and cooling off a bit at the top of the lineup. His leadoff role still matters a lot, but this night showed just how unpredictable things can get when you’re trying to squeeze every bit of value from a two-way star. Not every night is going to be fireworks, right?

Pitching Spotlight: ERA, K’s, and Command

On the mound, Ohtani’s been lights out this year. He’s barely allowed any runs and racks up strikeouts like it’s nothing. In 24 innings, he’s given up just one earned run, good for a ridiculous 0.38 ERA, with 25 strikeouts and six walks. He’s 2-0 so far—pretty clear he’s dominating, even if his bat isn’t always hot.

• Innings pitched: 24
• Earned runs: 1
• ERA: 0.38
• Strikeouts: 25
• Walks: 6
• Win-loss: 2-0

Supporting Cast and Series Outlook

Another key storyline is Dalton Rushing. He’s become a legit DH option for Los Angeles, hitting an eye-opening .414 with seven homers and 13 RBIs.

His production really sparks the lineup when Ohtani isn’t playing, or when the team just needs extra pop in the middle of the order. It’s been huge as they try to steady themselves during a tense stretch.

The Dodgers, as two-time defending World Series champs, have dropped four of their last five games. That slide makes every choice about Ohtani’s role feel even more crucial.

Roberts said he still hadn’t decided if Ohtani would play in the series finale. It’s a tricky balance—keeping Ohtani healthy while still chasing that high-level pitching and hitting in a pressure-cooker environment.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Dodgers might keep Ohtani out of lineup during pitching starts