Shohei Ohtani’s All-Star Game Pitching Chances Diminish After Schedule Change

Shohei Ohtani’s participation as a pitcher in the upcoming All-Star Game on July 14 is becoming increasingly unlikely following a schedule adjustment by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-way sensation, who has been a staple on the mound every Wednesday, has had his start pushed back to Friday this week as the team seeks to manage his workload effectively.

When asked about Ohtani’s potential absence from pitching duties in the All-Star Game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts offered a candid assessment. “I haven’t formally said it, but if you just kind of do the math, it would be hard to imagine. But I don’t have to make that decision quite yet,” he stated, acknowledging the complexities involved in the decision-making process.

Roberts, set to manage the National League All-Stars in Philadelphia, is grappling with a lineup that already features Ohtani as the designated hitter. The superstar leads the fan voting with an impressive 3,341,257 votes, ensuring his place in the starting lineup. However, the likelihood of him also pitching has diminished, particularly with Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sánchez emerging as a frontrunner to take the mound in his home ballpark.

Another contender for the pitching staff is Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski, who boasts a remarkable 1.45 ERA but is slated to pitch for the Brewers just two days before the All-Star Game, potentially ruling him out for the event. Ohtani, meanwhile, entered Friday night’s start against San Diego with a 1.58 ERA, positioning him as a strong candidate for selection, albeit with some questions surrounding his recent performance.

The Dodgers have opted to give Ohtani additional rest during a grueling stretch of 13 games in 13 days. Following his start on Friday, he is slated to pitch again on July 10 against Arizona, leaving him with only three days of rest before the All-Star Game. Roberts noted, “Shohei hasn’t had his best stuff recently and that’s the truth. The fastball command hasn’t been what it was earlier in the season, the sweeper hasn’t been the same.”

Ohtani has been dealing with left knee soreness and a blister on the middle finger of his right hand, which could impact his performance. However, Roberts remains optimistic, mentioning, “He feels good, the body feels good. The knee feels as good as it’s felt in quite some time, so that’s encouraging.”

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.