Shohei Ohtani missing Dodgers pitching starts in second half

Los Angeles owns a 59-33 record entering late July.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 211 min read

"The [Postseason is] what matters." #MLBTonight reacts to the news of Shohei Ohtani missing future pitching starts for Via @MLBNetwork on X

What happened: Shohei Ohtani will forgo future appearances on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The decision focuses on keeping him available for the postseason.

Why it matters: Limiting his pitching workload ensures he remains in the designated hitter role daily. This caution follows an incident earlier this year when Ohtani was forced out with an injury.

By the numbers: The Dodgers score 5.2 runs per game while allowing 3.7 this season.

What to watch: The front office continues to evaluate the pitching market ahead of the August 3 trade deadline.

Sources

@MLBNetwork 2026-07-21T00:37:30.569079+00:00

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