Dave Roberts questions whether Shohei Ohtani will pitch in the All-Star Game

SACRAMENTO

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is set to also take on the role of National League manager for this year’s All-Star Game, a distinction earned after the Dodgers secured the pennant last season.

With the event only a couple of weeks away, there’s still uncertainty about whether Shohei Ohtani, the two-way star, will participate by both pitching and hitting at the Midsummer Classic.

Ohtani, who received his sixth All-Star selection as the National League’s top fan vote-getter, is already confirmed as the starting designated hitter. He boasts an impressive 8 wins and 2 losses this season, with a notable ERA of 1.58, positioning him well for potential selection as a pitcher. Among pitchers who’ve thrown a minimum of 70 innings this year, only Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers has a lower ERA at 1.45.

For Ohtani to pitch in the All-Star Game, some adjustments will be necessary.

Since he’s set to bat in the starting lineup, the most logical scenario for him to pitch would be at the game’s beginning as a starter.

When asked about this during a Monday press conference, Roberts noted that no decisions have been made yet regarding Ohtani’s dual participation. “He’s obviously going to be the DH and we’ll go from there,” Roberts commented, adding, “I don’t know where he is in terms of pitching. We’ll see.”

Ohtani has previously pitched in just one All-Star Game, serving as a starter in 2021 when he earned his first MVP award with the Angels. In 2022, he was only able to play as a DH following a scheduled start right after the break. The previous year, he sat out due to blisters. Moreover, for the past couple of seasons, he’s been recovering from Tommy John surgery.

There might be more suitable candidates to start the All-Star Game on July 14 in Philadelphia. Misiorowski is already being considered a strong Cy Young contender, boasting both a stellar ERA and a 9-3 record with a league-leading 146 strikeouts. Meanwhile, Phillies ace Christopher Sanchez is having an outstanding season, too, with 9 wins, 3 losses, an ERA of 2.13, and leading the National League in innings pitched.

If Roberts aims to have Ohtani pitch, it would likely have to align with his Wednesday pitching schedule, given that the All-Star Game occurs on a Tuesday.

This presents challenges, as Ohtani would have to find a way to warm up while also fitting into the National League’s batting order. There might also need to be some tweaks to registration rules so that if Ohtani is used as a batter first, he can still pitch later without losing his DH spot.