Dodgers Urged to Make Surprise Shohei Ohtani Decision by Former GM
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani didn't showcase his full abilities on Wednesday night.
He was solely the starting pitcher for the Dodgers - and it paid off.
The right-hander struck out 10 batters in six innings and allowed just one earned run. Ohtani wasn't in the Dodgers lineup in the series finale against the New York Mets after a hit-by-pitch he suffered on Monday.
On MLB Now, former general manager Dan O'Dowd urged Ohtani to continue the trend on days that he takes the mound for the Dodgers.
"I would encourage him to not hit at all when he starts [pitching] the rest of the year. The one thing you want to do with Ohtani more than anything, is you want to keep him healthy. Between now and the end of October, you want him healthy in whatever capacity. He just looked - not that he hasn't been dominant in other starts - [but] he looked different to me last night. He looked fresher. I thought his delivery was cleaner. I thought the late action on his pitches was better," O'Dowd said.
"Everything about his craft last night, I thought, took him another step. You can hit Dalton Rushing and get him more at-bats in the DH role because the guy is raking. I think it keeps your roster more in check and keeps [Ohtani] more healthy throughout the season."
"I would encourage him to not hit at all when he starts (pitching) the rest of the year."
- MLB Now (@MLBNow) April 16, 2026
- Dan O'Dowd on Shohei Ohtani, after striking out 10 batters in his first start without hitting since 2021 pic.twitter.com/GdlUqLFGpF
Wednesday marked the first time since May 28, 2021 that Ohtani did not hit during a game where he was also the starting pitcher (which was also before MLB instituted its new two-way rule that allows him to stay in games as a hitter after his pitching start is done).
It was clearly beneficial for Ohtani's success on the mound. The move was also helpful for another Dodgers player: backup catcher Dalton Rushing.
According to Ohtani, the Dodgers "had a great DH" on Wednedasday night - and the superstar wasn't talking about himself.
Rushing hit his first career grand slam off of Mets reliever Devin Williams in the eighth inning of Wednesday's matchup. The 25-year-old fulfilled the one request Ohtani had for him after taking the DH spot in the Dodgers lineup.
"He told me to hit a homer for him," Rushing said.
"Feels good just to contribute to a team like this, to feel like every day you're helping this team win, regardless of the results," Rushing added. "It's a different feeling than I had last year. Feels a little more normal."
The Dodgers have to evaluate what's best for their two-way superstar, not only in 2026 but beyond. What will the long-term look like for Ohtani as he is in the midst of his third season with the Dodgers?
There's no guarantee Ohtani can continue his two-way status for all 10 seasons of his Dodgers contract. In fact, it's highly unlikely that will happen as the 31-year-old continues his tenure in LA.
But as manager Dave Roberts said of the four-time MVP, Ohtani is simply just different.
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on X/Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Dodgers Urged to Make Surprise Shohei Ohtani Decision by Former GM.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 1:00 PM.