Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani won't pitch Wednesday, start moved to Friday

Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times on Jun 30, 2026

Published in Baseball

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Dodgers scratched Shohei Ohtani from his scheduled Wednesday start against the Athletics, in a move that all but ensures he will not pitch in the All-Star Game.

The Dodgers delayed Ohtani's start until Friday. The team plans a bullpen game Wednesday, with Roki Sasaki expected to start Thursday's opener of a four-game series against the San Diego Padres and Ohtani lined up to follow the next day.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the move did not reflect any health concerns. Ohtani was in Tuesday's lineup at designated hitter, and Roberts said he would DH on Wednesday as well.

Instead, Roberts said, the move affords Ohtani extra rest and two extra starts against the teams closest to the Dodgers in the National League West standings, the Padres this weekend and the Arizona Diamondbacks the following weekend, with Ohtani still available when the Dodgers resume play after the All-Star break against the New York Yankees.

"There's just no downside," Roberts said. "This just made too much sense."

However, by starting on the weekend before the All-Star Game, Ohtani would no longer be lined up to pitch in the game. Roberts previously had said that Ohtani, already elected as the NL designated hitter, would not pitch in the game unless he were the starting pitcher, as it would be impractical for Ohtani to warm up during a game in which he was the DH.

The top candidates to start for the NL: Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers, the major league leader with a 1.45 earned-run average, and Cristopher Sanchez (9-3, 2.13 heading into his start on Tuesday) of the host Philadelphia Phillies.

Ohtani would have been starting Wednesday on his usual six days' rest. However, with the Dodgers on a run of 13 consecutive games without an off day, Roberts said pushing Ohtani back would allow the Dodgers to better manage his workload.

He is 8-2 with a 1.58 earned-run average this season. Among NL pitchers with at least 70 innings, his ERA is bettered only by Misiorowski.

Ohtani already has pitched 79 2/3 innings this season, his most in three years. He spent all of the 2024 season and the first half of the 2025 season rehabilitating from elbow surgery.

For all that Ohtani has accomplished and will accomplish during his career, he might have missed out on his one chance to pitch in Sacramento. This series marks the Dodgers' lone scheduled visit during the A's three-year stay here. The A's plan to move into a new ballpark in Las Vegas in 2028, the next time the teams are scheduled to face off.