LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani was out of the Dodgers’ starting lineup again Tuesday, one day after making his return following some rest to calm left knee and right biceps discomfort.
Manager Dave Roberts said he would wait to see how Ohtani felt today before making his lineup for the second game of a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Ohtani went 0 for 3 with a walk and two strikeouts on Monday night.
“Long time, no see,” Ohtani said through his interpreter after the game.
While Ohtani’s return was a positive sign for the Dodgers as they head toward another October playoff appearance, Roberts was not necessarily celebrating after the game.
“It was certainly good to get him back out there,” Roberts said. “But there was certainly nothing to kind of write home about.”
Including Monday’s game, Ohtani is now 7 for 54 (.130) over his last 14 games with 22 strikeouts. A season-high four-strikeout game on Sept. 2 prompted the start of his rest the following day. That time off extended through a three-game weekend series against the Washington Nationals.
Ohtani confirmed Monday night he is “most likely” not going to pitch again this season, a growing reality given his recent injuries and the regular season winding down, adding that he is “focusing on hitting moving forward.”
The Dodgers entered Tuesday’s game on a five-game winning streak with an offense that has improved even as Ohtani has been slowed.
Tommy Edman was back in the leadoff spot Tuesday, just has he had been in the four games Ohtani missed. Edman did not have a hit Monday as the No. 3 hitter but still is 11 for 31 (.355) with one home run and six RBIs in seven September games.
Roberts put Freddie Freeman in the designated hitter spot batting fourth, while Kiké was at first base and batting ninth. In addition to Edman, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez have produced better results at the plate of late.
Teoscar Hernandez is 13 for 29 (.448) with two home runs and 11 RBIs over his past eight games. Betts is 14 for 42 (.333) with two home runs and 11 RBIs over his past 10 games. Betts also has a hit in 12 of his past 13 contests.
More to come on this story.