Shohei Ohtani's Role With Dodgers Up in Air

The streak is over for Shohei Ohtani, and the Los Angeles Dodgers could make a change with the star slugger’s role in the future.

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Ohtani entered Wednesday’s contest against the San Francisco Giants with a 53-game on base streak. He went 0-4 at-bat against the Giants as the Dodgers failed to score a run in a 3-0 loss in front of 40,277 fans at Oracle Park.

Ohtani was the Dodgers’ starting pitcher on Wednesday in addition to his duties at the plate as the leadoff hitter. He have up five hits but no earned runs in 6.0 innings pitched. He struck out seven batters.

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Per the Associated Press, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts suggested after the game that he could switch up Ohtani’s role at the plate when he pitches in the future, saying “everything should be on the table” for the ace.

The Dodgers could decide to move Ohtani down in the lineup.

“I think if you look at the overall numbers it’s certainly something,” Roberts said. “I still feel really good about putting his name in the lineup. I know the last start I chose not to have him hit and just pitch. I am open to it. We’ll see.

“It’s something that we’ve certainly flagged, and also you have to look at what’s the option. In years past or last year, you’ve got to kind of weigh, who’s a different option?

Ohtani is open to whatever Roberts decides.

“I’ll always let the manager make that final decision, and I’m always going to be prepared when I’m starting that I’m hitting,” Ohtani said. “But if it makes sense as a team to occasionally put a guy in as a DH or hit later, that’s fine as well. I wouldn’t want to do the same more aside from that.”

Ohtani is batting .258 with five home runs and 11 RBIs this season. He’s 4-2 as a pitcher with an ERA of 0.38 to go along with 25 strikeouts in 24.0 innings pitched.

It would make sense for the Dodgers to ask Ohtani to bat fewer times while pitching. Los Angeles needs to keep Ohtani rested and healthy during the course of a long season.

The Dodgers have the playoffs to consider.

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 2:48 PM.