Shohei Ohtani was removed from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting rotation for Wednesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he remained in the lineup as the team’s designated hitter, according to the latest updates.
Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported that Ohtani was “under the weather” yesterday, with manager Dave Roberts explaining that while the two-way star could still swing the bat, he “didn’t feel great throwing his side session because of the illness.” Roberts indicated that Ohtani will return to the mound “sometime this weekend.”
Dodgers Will Start Emmet Sheehan In Ohtani’s Place
Vote For Your Favorite Dodgers Duo: Ohtani – Yamamoto, Betts – Freeman, Hernandez – Hernandez
Moments before Wednesday’s game, Emmet Sheehan was announced as the starting pitcher, replacing Ohtani on the mound. The Dodgers did not provide an official explanation at the time of the lineup announcement, but Roberts and Ardaya’s reporting clarified that illness was the reason.
Ohtani remains one of the most dynamic players in the league, posting a .279 batting average, a .998 OPS, and 46 home runs this season. In Tuesday’s 9-7 loss to the Pirates, he went 3-for-5 with three extra-base hits, including two doubles and a 120 mph home run — marking the 100th homer of his Dodgers career.
Meanwhile, Sheehan, who last pitched on August 25, is 5-2 with a 3.56 ERA in 10 starts this season and will take the mound against Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft (4-2, 2.58 ERA). Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is expected to provide more details on Ohtani’s return to pitching during his media availability later Wednesday.
Ohtani’s health and availability remain crucial as LA pushes toward the postseason, and while he won’t start on the mound Wednesday, fans can still expect to see the superstar impact the game as the designated hitter.
Wednesday Lineup (vs. Pirates):
- Shohei Ohtani, DH
- Mookie Betts, SS
- Will Smith, C
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Teoscar Hernandez, RF
- Alex Call, LF
- Andy Pages, CF
- Alex Freeland, 2B
- Kiké Hernandez, 3B