Shohei Ohtani’s Dodgers Debut Monday: Can He Fill the Void Left by Injured Will Smith?

So here’s the latest buzz from the Dodgers’ camp — Shohei Ohtani, that rare breed whose skill set seems almost too good to be true, is gearing up to pitch again this Monday night against Colorado, right back on his home turf in L.A. Now, he was originally slated to take the mound midweek in Pittsburgh, but a pesky chest cold had him sidelined as a pitcher; instead, Ohtani filled in as the designated hitter while Emmet Sheehan took the pitching duties in a tough 3-0 loss.

And it’s not just the pitching spot creating waves — Will Smith, the Dodgers’ three-time All-Star catcher, missed out on the lineup Thursday after getting smacked in the right hand by a foul ball. That ugly bruise is keeping him out, possibly for the upcoming series in Baltimore. Manager Dave Roberts seems cautious, opting to delay Ohtani’s next pitching appearance to give him a longer runway for recovery, while he continues contributing as a DH.

Roberts summed it up perfectly, emphasizing the importance of letting Ohtani come back strong enough to throw solid innings on the mound — no half-measures here. It’s been quite a journey: Ohtani didn’t pitch at all last season as he bounced back from a second Tommy John surgery. This year, since his early June return, he’s put up a 1-1 record and a 4.18 ERA over 11 games. Offensively, he’s been a beast — batting .280, smacking 46 homers, and leading the National League in runs scored and slugging percentage.

Meanwhile, Smith got a clean bill from X-rays but is still awaiting further scans. Rookie Dalton Rushing is stepping in behind the plate, getting the lion’s share of catching time during Smith’s absence. Meanwhile, the Dodgers shuffled their roster, bringing in veteran ben Rortvedt from Triple-A Oklahoma City, and sending infielder Alex Freeland back down. To make space, right-hander Alexis Diaz—who starred for Cincinnati last year—was designated for assignment. Rortvedt’s major league stints with the Twins, Yankees, and Rays have been modest at best, but he’s set to play a key backup role.

Adding more intricacies, Max Muncy, sidelined with an oblique strain since mid-August, is eyeing a rehab stint with Oklahoma City starting Thursday night. It’s a busy and pivotal time for the Dodgers, juggling player health and roster moves as they push deeper into the season.

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PITTSBURGH — Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani will make his next start as a pitcher on Monday against Colorado in Los Angeles.

Ohtani was scheduled to start Wednesday at Pittsburgh. However, because of a chest cold, he was limited to designated hitter duties, and Emmet Sheehan started in the Dodgers’ 3-0 loss.

Dodgers catcher Will Smith was not in the lineup for Thursday night’s game against the Pirates. The three-time All-Star sustained a bruised right hand on Wednesday when a foul ball hit him.

Manager Dave Roberts said Smith was unlikely to play in the three-game series at Baltimore that begins on Friday.

Roberts said the decision to move Ohtani’s next start until next week was to give him ample time to recover. The 2024 National League MVP will continue to DH.

“You want him to give him his best chance to give up five innings in his next start,” Roberts said.

Ohtani did not pitch last season, his first with the Dodgers, while recovering from his second Tommy John elbow surgery. Ohtani made his mound debut this season on June 16 and has a 1-1 record and 4.18 ERA in 11 starts.

Ohtani is hitting .280 with 46 home runs in 136 games. He leads the NL with 125 runs scored and a .610 slugging percentage.

X-rays of Smith’s hand on Wednesday night were negative. He underwent imaging on Thursday, and the results were not immediately available. Smith has a .296 batting average and 17 homers in 109 games.

Rookie catcher Dalton Rushing will get the bulk of the work behind the plate while Smith is sidelined.

The Dodgers selected the contract of veteran catcher Ben Rortvedt from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioned infielder Alex Freeland to the same club. Right-hander Alexis Diaz, an All-Star in 2023 with Cincinnati, was designated for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot for Rortvedt.

Rortvedt has spent all or parts of four seasons in the major leagues with Minnesota, the New York Yankees, and Tampa Bay. He is a .186 career hitter in 209 games.

Third baseman Max Muncy is also expected to begin a rehab assignment with Oklahoma City on Thursday night. Muncy was placed on the IL with a strained right oblique on Aug. 15.