{"id":271686,"date":"2026-04-17T00:31:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T00:31:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/271686\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T00:31:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T00:31:35","slug":"shohei-ohtani-a-pitcher-only-for-first-time-in-five-years-strikes-out-10-as-dodgers-sweep-mets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/271686\/","title":{"rendered":"Shohei Ohtani, a pitcher only for first time in five years, strikes out 10 as Dodgers sweep Mets"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES \u2014 Shohei Ohtani was surprised to learn he wouldn\u2019t be hitting Wednesday night, but he understood the reasoning.<\/p>\n

Not since May 28, 2021 \u2014 when Ohtani was with the Los Angeles Angels \u2014 has the superstar not performed two-way duties on a start day. But after he was hit by a pitch in the upper back on Monday, manager Dave Roberts made the unusual call to start Ohtani as a pitcher only, and turned to Dalton Rushing as the designated hitter.<\/p>\n

Ohtani responded with six innings of dominance over a reeling New York Mets squad, striking out 10. Rushing clobbered his first career grand slam to put the game away in the eighth. The Dodgers swept the Mets, 8-2, moving to a MLB-best 14-4.<\/p>\n

Shohei Ohtani reaches double-digit Ks for the first time this season \ud83d\ude24 https:\/\/t.co\/RWiXiCGwER<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/HqAlbOkLaD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MLB (@MLB) April 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Plenty of things are going right for the back-to-back champs to open the season. There is plenty more to be excited about. Ohtani returning to peak form on the mound, as he demonstrated Wednesday, is at the top of the list. Two years removed from his second major elbow surgery and cleared for a full season of pitching for the first time as a Dodger, Ohtani has already shown through three starts that he\u2019s back to being one of baseball\u2019s best pitchers.<\/p>\n

The Dodgers would obviously like that to continue, hence their conservative usage. Roberts said he would have started Ohtani as the designated hitter if he had not been hit by the pitch. While Ohtani was not seriously hurt, lingering soreness still gave the skipper some pause. Citing a preference to keep Ohtani focused on one thing and a need to keep him rested, Roberts made the rare decision to take Ohtani out of the DH spot.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do think that just to be able to pitch and focus on that will be a benefit for the mind and the body, and hopefully we\u2019re just in a little moment of fatigue and we can get past it,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n

FIRST CAREER GRAND SLAM FOR DALTON RUSHING! pic.twitter.com\/N72dk4GzAq<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Ohtani didn\u2019t just get past the fatigue. He carved up the Mets lineup. He established the fastball early and unfurled the majority of his seven-pitch arsenal from there. After he was tagged for his first earned run of the year in the top of the fifth, Ohtani \u2014 clearly vexed \u2014 fired four straight fastballs over 100 miles per hour (his four hardest thrown pitches of the night) to end the inning and strand the game\u2019s tying run at third.<\/p>\n

He finished his night by striking out the side in the sixth, one on the fastball, one on the curveball and one on the splitter.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust added a little more intensity after they scored a run,\u201d Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. \u201cBut overall, it felt really nice and easy and loose throughout the whole outing. So I think that\u2019s the reason why I threw a little harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t go full throttle the whole time,\u201d he added. \u201cBut considering where the game was at that point, I felt like I just really had to go full throttle and consider the game situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shohei Ohtani, 86mph Sweeper (swinging strike) and 99mph Fastball (backwards K), Individual Pitches + Overlay.<\/p>\n

Why you’d take that 99mph heater. pic.twitter.com\/Eh3Hs9J09S<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Ohtani remarked that aside from the time between innings feeling longer, he didn\u2019t notice a difference by not hitting, but was able to spend more time game-planning against opposing hitters. There is a benefit in allowing him to focus solely on pitching on his start day. Don\u2019t expect that to be the norm, however.<\/p>\n

While the Dodgers are being strategic about when he pitches \u2014 Los Angeles will continue their six-man rotation through their upcoming road trip, and will also continue stacking Ohtani\u2019s starts on games before a scheduled off day when possible \u2014 his daily usage isn\u2019t likely to change. Ohtani will remain the team\u2019s leadoff hitter on days he pitches, and he should retake that spot for his next start, which is scheduled for Wednesday in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpecific to today, I think this is the right decision, this is the best decision, for (Ohtani) to not hit today,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cThen the question is on days that he pitches, where\u2019s the best for him to hit in the order? I think there\u2019s fair arguments to both, to moving him down a little bit, give him a breather, let him get into the game. But I\u2019m not prepared to make that decision quite yet.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Resting Ohtani) is something I\u2019m going to keep an eye on if it makes sense, but not just kind of do it proactively,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s got to make sense to not have your best hitter not in the lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ohtani has been agreeable to the Dodgers\u2019 scheduling. Managing his workload is critical to help preserve his health throughout the season. It\u2019s a fine needle for Roberts to thread, and a process Ohtani must be open to, or at least understand. Those factors can become compromised, especially if Ohtani continues to excel.<\/p>\n

But Wednesday showed the benefits of playing it safe, and Ohtani said as much after his start.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt made sense, just strategically, having these off days right before our series in Denver,\u201d Ohtani said. \u201cIt\u2019s really important for us as a team to be healthy throughout the season, so that made sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ohtani and the Dodgers waited the better part of two years for his triumphant return to the mound. The early showings from his starts this season show why they\u2019re so excited \u2014 and why it\u2019s all the more important for both parties to take it slow.<\/p>\n