Trending Now - Ohtani to Pitch Against Mets, but Will Sit as DH

WHO:

ESPN - Dalton Rushing replaced Ohtani at designated hitter, and Kyle Tucker moved into Ohtani's leadoff spot.

ESPN - Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated, "When he's hitting, there's a component that he's in the cage, getting ready to hit. If we can take that off his plate, and just focus on one thing tonight, we felt... it was the best thing for him."

ESPN - Shohei Ohtani is the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

ESPN - Dave Roberts is the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

MLB.com - Ohtani has a 48-game on-base streak, ranking as the third-longest in Dodgers franchise history.

WHAT:

MLB.com - Ohtani allowed just two hits and one earned run in six innings, striking out 10 Mets in the game on April 15th, 2026.

MLB.com - Ohtani's streak of 32 2/3 regular-season innings without allowing an earned run was ended during this game.

MLB.com - Ohtani's current ERA is 0.50 after the game against the Mets.

ESPN - Ohtani was hit by a pitch on April 10th, 2026, which influenced the decision to keep him out of the lineup on April 15th, 2026.

MLB.com - Ohtani has a 0.00 ERA in his first two starts of the 2026 season.

MLB.com - Ohtani has completed six innings without allowing an earned run in each of his first two starts of the season.

MLB.com - Ohtani has leaned on his four-seam fastball, throwing it 36.1% of the time in his first two starts.

MLB.com - Hitters are just 2-for-15 against Ohtani’s four-seam fastball this year.

MLB.com - Ohtani's breaking balls have seen excellent results, with hitters going 0-for-6 against his curveball, 1-for-8 against his sweeper, and 0-for-1 against his slider in 2026.

ESPN - Ohtani was hit by a 94 mph sinker on April 10th, 2026, which influenced the decision to keep him out of the lineup on April 15th, 2026.

MLB.com - Ohtani has completed six innings without allowing an earned run in each of his first two starts of the 2026 season.

MLB.com - Ohtani is the only pitcher in MLB to have made multiple starts this season without allowing an earned run.

MLB.com - Ohtani has a career 2.93 ERA in the regular season and a 4.43 ERA in the postseason.

MLB.com - Ohtani was hit by a pitch on April 10th, 2026, which influenced the decision to keep him out of the lineup on April 15th, 2026.

MLB.com - Ohtani's last game without hitting while pitching was on May 28th, 2021, before the "Ohtani Rule" was adopted in 2022.

ESPN - Ohtani will pitch against the New York Mets but will not serve as designated hitter on April 15th, 2026.

ESPN - This marks the first time in five years that Ohtani has pitched without also hitting.

MLB.com - Ohtani has a 0.00 ERA in his first two starts of the 2026 season.

MLB.com - Ohtani has completed six innings without allowing an earned run in each of his first two starts of the season.

MLB.com - Ohtani has a career 2.93 ERA in the regular season and a 4.43 ERA in the postseason.

WHERE:

ESPN - The game is taking place at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

MLB.com - The Dodgers will play their next four games at mile-high altitude in Denver, Colorado.

WHEN:

MLB.com - The game against the Mets took place on April 15th, 2026.

ESPN - The game against the Mets is scheduled for April 15th, 2026.

ESPN - The last time Ohtani pitched without hitting was on May 28th, 2021.

MLB.com - The game will air at 10:10 p.m. ET on April 15th, 2026.

WHY:

ESPN - Roberts stated, "Once I told him, he completely understood," regarding Ohtani's absence from the lineup.

ESPN - Roberts stated, "If it weren’t for the hit-by-pitch, he would’ve been DHing and pitching tonight."

MLB.com - Roberts mentioned that the hit-by-pitch was the biggest factor in the decision to not bat Ohtani, stating, "When he’s hitting, there’s a component that he’s in the cage getting ready to hit."

MLB.com - Roberts mentioned that the hit-by-pitch was the biggest factor in the decision to not bat Ohtani, stating, "If it weren’t for the hit-by-pitch, he would’ve been DHing and pitching tonight."

ESPN - The decision to keep Ohtani out of the lineup was made to give him the best chance to stay loose during his start after he was hit by a pitch on April 10th, 2026.

ESPN - Roberts stated that allowing Ohtani to focus solely on pitching was deemed the best approach by the training staff and pitching coaches.

HOW:

MLB.com - The Dodgers might seek other opportunities to give Ohtani a break from hitting on his start days, as indicated by Roberts: "I think that it's something I'm going to keep an eye on if it makes sense."

MLB.com - The Dodgers may seek other opportunities to give Ohtani a break from hitting on his start days, as indicated by Roberts: "I think that it's something I'm going to keep an eye on if it makes sense."

ESPN - Dalton Rushing replaced Ohtani at designated hitter, and Kyle Tucker moved into Ohtani's leadoff spot.

MLB.com - Ohtani has leaned on his four-seam fastball, throwing it 36.1% of the time in his first two starts.

(UPDATED April 16, 2026 19:21 UTC)

In a significant game on Wednesday, Shohei Ohtani struck out ten Mets while allowing just two hits and one earned run over six innings, but his impressive streak of 32 and two-thirds regular-season innings without an earned run came to an end. Following his performance, Dalton Rushing stepped in as designated hitter, while Kyle Tucker took over Ohtani's leadoff position, as manager Dave Roberts indicated they might explore ways to give Ohtani breaks from hitting on days he pitches. After this outing, Ohtani's earned run average now stands at an impressive 0.50.

(UPDATED April 16, 2026 17:21 UTC)

Shohei Ohtani was kept out of the lineup on Wednesday due to a hit-by-pitch he sustained on Friday, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who noted that Ohtani would have otherwise been DHing and pitching. Despite this setback, Ohtani has started the 2026 season with an impressive 0.00 ERA, completing six innings without allowing an earned run in both of his first two starts, while hitters have struggled against his pitches. Roberts mentioned that the Dodgers might look for ways to give Ohtani a break from hitting on days he starts, indicating this is something he will monitor moving forward.

(UPDATED April 16, 2026 05:44 UTC)

Shohei Ohtani was kept out of the lineup on Wednesday due to a hit-by-pitch incident that occurred on Friday, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Despite this setback, Ohtani has made an impressive start to the season, completing six innings without allowing an earned run in each of his first two outings, making him the only pitcher in MLB to achieve this feat so far. Roberts also mentioned that the team may look for ways to give Ohtani breaks from hitting on days he pitches, emphasizing the importance of his preparation for batting.

(UPDATED April 16, 2026 04:05 UTC)

In a recent statement, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained the decision to keep Shohei Ohtani out of the lineup, citing a hit-by-pitch he sustained on Friday as a significant factor. Roberts noted that if it weren’t for that injury, Ohtani would have been both pitching and designated hitting in the game on Wednesday. Looking ahead, Roberts mentioned that the team might explore additional ways to give Ohtani a break from hitting on days when he starts on the mound.

(UPDATED April 16, 2026 01:23 UTC)

Shohei Ohtani is set to start as the pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the New York Mets on Wednesday, marking the first time in five years he has pitched without also serving as the designated hitter. Ohtani has been impressive so far this season, boasting a 0.00 ERA in his first two starts, where he completed six innings without allowing an earned run each time. Manager Dave Roberts made the decision to keep Ohtani out of the lineup to help him stay loose after he was hit by a pitch on Friday, with Dalton Rushing stepping in as designated hitter for the game.