Shohei Ohtani, now with the Dodgers, is not batting during his pitching starts this season. Factors like age and current form contribute to this trend, despite his continued high-level performance.
Why isn't Shohei Ohtani batting? Dodgers two-way star continues trend of not hitting while pitching originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Since his move to the MLB from Japan, it's safe to say Shohei Ohtani has somehow gone past what was expected of him. That's a crazy statement, since he was already being compared to Babe Ruth.
After six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels beginning in 2018, Ohtani has already seen two championships since his move across town to join the Dodgers. His title as one of the, if not the best, two-way hitters of all time is bona fide in MLB history. This season, however, the Japanese dual threat has begun not batting whenever he makes a pitching start.
This is for multiple reasons, with age and current form both as factors. Regardless, he is still performing at a high-caliber level, just not as dominant as previously seen at the plate.
Here's why the Dodgers' star doesn't step into the box on nights he appears on the mound anymore.
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Ohtani is not batting during his pitching starts due to factors such as age and current form.
While Ohtani is not as dominant at the plate, he continues to perform at a high-caliber level overall.
Shohei Ohtani has won two championships since moving to the Dodgers.
Ohtani is often compared to Babe Ruth due to his exceptional two-way playing ability.
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Recently, Ohtani has not been in the lineup on nights he pitches for a variety of reasons.
Most notably, he now 31 years old and turning 32 in July, the Dodgers want to limit any injury concerns as Ohtani ages. He has already been pitching at arguably his highest level this season, and the team does not want to risk that stardom being cut short this season or for the future.
Along with age, Ohtani's hitting has not been as powerful compared to other years. As of May 4th, he is hitless in his last 17 at-bats (along with six walks), his OPS sits at .814 (54th among qualified hitters), and his batting average is currently .240 (103rd). He has six home runs this season, which is 38th in the league, but just one of those long shots came after April 12.
Ohtani's last time he was active on the mound and at the plate on the same game was April 8th against the Toronto Blue Jays.
During that game, he pitched six scoreless innings with no earned runs, four allowed hits, two strikeouts, and a walk issued. At the plate that night, he went 0/3 with two strikeouts and a walk.
The "Ohtani Rule" was a rule established in 2022, according to the MLB. The rule established that pitchers who also bat can stay in the game at the plate as a designated hitter once they are relieved of their pitching duties.
Prior to 2022, two-way players (Ohtani, end of list) could only hit and pitch in the same game while they were still active on the mound.
The rule is in effect only for starting pitchers. If a two-way player started as the designated hitter, then was put into the game as a relief pitcher, he could be in the batting lineup for the duration that he is on the mound.
So far in his 2026 batting campaign, Ohtani has not been as dominant as previously seen by MLB fans. Despite his OPS being .814, it is the lowest of his career thus far. The MLB is the longest in sports, so the Japanese star will have ample time to get his numbers back to where they previously were.
Here are Ohtani's batting stats this season prior to May 5th.
| Games | Average | HRs | RBIs | OBP | OPS |
| 35 | .240 | 6 | 14 | .382 | .814 |
Ohtani's pitching numbers have been stellar through five starts. He has acquired a quality start in all of his appearances on the mound and has struck out batters 34 times already, averaging just under seven per game. His ERA and WHIP currently sit at career lows, and it's safe to say Los Angeles likes what they're seeing from their dual-threat star.
Here are Ohtani's pitching stats this season prior to May 5th.
| Starts | Record | K's | ERA | WHIP |
| 5 | 2-1 | 34 | 0.60 | 0.87 |