Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff home run in the first inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers' 9-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, just hours after being scratched from his scheduled pitching start due to irritation in his left knee.
Despite the knee issue, Ohtani served as the designated hitter and connected on a three-pitch fastball from left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, sending it to the opposite field for his 21st home run of the season. This marks his third home run in the last four games and his 10th since his knee began causing problems on June 10.
Ohtani is scheduled to have his knee drained on Sunday and will likely receive a pain-relieving injection afterward, which will prevent him from attending the All-Star Game. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated that Ohtani would have pitched if it were October, indicating confidence in his ability to play through the discomfort.
The Dodgers' pitching staff struggled throughout the game. Opener Kyle Hurt allowed two runs in the first inning. The Diamondbacks extended their lead with three more two-run rallies in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, with relievers Will Klein, Brock Stewart, and Edgardo Henriquez combining to give up four walks and two hits during these periods. Stewart gave up a go-ahead two-run homer to Tim Tawa in the fourth, and Henriquez allowed a run to score via balk and a wild pitch in the fifth.
Rodriguez settled down after Ohtani's leadoff homer, completing six innings and allowing two runs on five strikeouts for the Diamondbacks. Andy Pages also homered for the Dodgers in the first inning and recorded three hits for the game, his ninth three-hit performance this season. His batting average increased to .269 with an OPS of .807.
The Dodgers' defense also contributed to the loss, committing three errors that led to three unearned runs. Right fielder Kyle Tucker's throw in the first inning went into the dugout, allowing a run to score. Catcher Dalton Rushing's throw to second base in the fifth was too low, initiating a Diamondbacks rally. Third baseman Tommy Edman's misplay on a bunt in the sixth added to the defensive struggles. Over their last three games, the Dodgers have committed six errors, although they still lead the majors in fielding percentage and fewest errors on the season.
Roberts expressed visible frustration with the team's defensive performance. The Dodgers will start Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Saturday against the Diamondbacks' Brandon Pfaadt before the All-Star break.