MLB | theScore: Ohtani won’t DH Wednesday, will only pitch vs. Mets

— MLB | theScore —
Ohtani won’t DH Wednesday, will only pitch vs. Mets
by Simon Sharkey-Gotlieb
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Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani won’t be in the starting lineup at designated hitter and will only serve as his team’s starting pitcher during Wednesday’s game against the New York Mets.

Dalton Rushing will DH and hit seventh, while Kyle Tucker is being moved up into Ohtani’s usual leadoff spot.

Mets pitcher David Peterson hit Ohtani in the shoulder during Monday’s game. Although the four-time MVP appeared to be in some pain after being hit by the pitch, he remained in the contest and was back in the lineup at DH on Tuesday.

Whether the HBP is related to Ohtani not hitting Wednesday remains unclear. When asked about the star’s shoulder on Tuesday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts only said that Ohtani would appear “as a starting pitcher” Wednesday, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

The game will mark the first time Ohtani starts as a pitcher without hitting since May 28, 2021, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels. He took the loss in that outing, allowing three runs while striking out five and walking four over six innings.

Ohtani is off to another stellar start in 2026 on both sides of the ball. As a hitter, he’s slashing .254/.402/.508 with five homers and 10 RBIs over 82 plate appearances. On the mound, he enters Wednesday having not allowed an earned run over 12 innings.

The 31-year-old owns both the longest active on-base streak (48 games) as a hitter and the longest active streak without allowing an earned run (28 2/3 innings) as a pitcher, with both runs dating back to last year.

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