Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who will also manage the National League team in the upcoming All-Star Game, has not yet decided if Shohei Ohtani will pitch in the Midsummer Classic.
Ohtani, a two-way star, has already secured his spot as the National League's starting designated hitter, earning his sixth All-Star selection as the leading vote-getter. He is also a strong candidate to be selected for the NL's pitching staff, boasting an 8-2 record and a career-best 1.58 earned run average this season. Among pitchers with at least 70 innings pitched, only Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers has a lower ERA.
For Ohtani to pitch in the game, Roberts indicated that a specific arrangement would likely be necessary. Since Ohtani is already slated to be in the National League's batting order, the most logical time for him to pitch would be at the start of the game as the NL's starting pitcher.
"He'll obviously DH and then we'll go from there," Roberts stated Monday when asked about the possibility. "I don't know where he is with the pitching thing. We'll see."
Ohtani's previous All-Star Game appearances include pitching as the American League starter in 2021. In 2022, he only served as the designated hitter due to a scheduled start immediately following the All-Star break. He did not pitch in the 2023 game while managing a blister, and the previous two years he was recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Roberts noted that other deserving pitchers, such as Misiorowski and Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez, are also having strong seasons and could be considered for the starting pitcher role. Misiorowski leads the league in strikeouts, while Sánchez leads in innings pitched.
If Roberts decides to have Ohtani pitch, it would align with Ohtani's regular pitching schedule, which typically falls on Wednesdays, making a Tuesday All-Star Game start feasible. However, an alternative would require Ohtani to find time to warm up while also batting, potentially necessitating an adjustment to roster rules to preserve the NL's designated hitter spot if Ohtani were to start as a hitter and later enter as a relief pitcher.