Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani batting struggles when pitching may force difficult Dave Roberts decision

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best player in baseball in Shohei Ohtani, who is both one of the top pitchers and one of the most dangerous hitters in the league. Ohtani resumed pitching last season after returning from injury. However, in his start against the Mets, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts decided he would focus solely on pitching.

“Ohtani is the starting pitcher for the Dodgers' series finale against the Mets on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium (7 p.m. PT/10 ET on ESPN), but he will not hit. Kyle Tucker moved up to the leadoff spot in his place, and Dalton Rushing got a start at designated hitter without Ohtani in the lineup,” MLB.com’s Sonja Chen wrote.

The decision paid off for Los Angeles, as Ohtani was dominant on the mound, striking out 10 batters. After the outing, there was even discussion that the Dodgers should continue with that approach.

“I would encourage him to not hit at all when he starts (pitching) the rest of the year,” MLB Now’s Dan O'Dowd said.

On Wednesday night, Ohtani took the mound against the San Francisco Giants. This time, he was also in the lineup as a hitter. While he once again dominated as a pitcher, he struggled at the plate. His numbers when both pitching and hitting since his return suggest Roberts may need to make a difficult decision about using him as a designated hitter on those days.

“Shohei Ohtani's on-base streak is in danger tonight. He is 0 for 3 with two weak ground outs and a K. Since resuming pitching last season, he has hit .203 (13 for 64) on days when he pitches,” Dodgers beat writer Bill Plunkett posted.

Ohtani finished the night 0-for-4 without reaching base. While that ended his on-base streak, it also continued a troubling trend at the plate when he pitches.

There is no doubt that what Ohtani does is special, but handling both roles in the same game is incredibly demanding. While he clearly wants to contribute as a hitter, it may ultimately benefit Los Angeles if he focuses solely on pitching on the days he starts.

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• Phillies predicted to replace Rob Thomson with former NL Manager of the Year with 889 career wins​

• Dodgers' Dave Roberts fires shot at NL West rival Padres after blowing division lead​

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