The Los Angeles Dodgers are taking a cautious approach with Shohei Ohtani following an injury sustained during his recent start, with the team considering skipping his final pitching outing before the All-Star break. Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that Ohtani, who was voted the National League’s starting designated hitter for the All-Star Game—marking his sixth consecutive selection—may not participate as a pitcher due to the physical demands of his two-way role.

Roberts emphasized the importance of monitoring Ohtani’s health closely, noting the strain his dual responsibilities place on his body. “He’s a quick healer, and finds a way to get back,” Roberts said, “but it’s really important for us to read and react to what his body is telling him.”

Ohtani’s recent injury concerns supplanted earlier questions regarding his battery partnership with catcher Dalton Rushing. Will Smith, the Dodgers’ primary catcher, remains on the injured list with a neck issue but has resumed throwing and taking batting practice. However, he is not expected to return before the All-Star break. Rushing, who caught Ohtani’s previous start on June 24 against the Minnesota Twins, experienced a challenging outing when Ohtani assumed pitch-calling duties after a difficult second inning. Reflecting on that experience, Rushing said he had been overthinking the role and stressed the need for simplicity and trust. “With a guy like [Ohtani], you don’t have to be perfect. You just need to call the right pitches at the right time and allow his stuff to beat them naturally,” Rushing said.

In Friday’s start, Ohtani reverted to allowing Rushing to call pitches, communicating through head movements rather than the electronic PitchCom system. Despite walking the first two batters, Ohtani struck out three of the next four, escaping the inning with only one run allowed. He then retired 10 consecutive batters, striking out six in that stretch.

Ohtani’s pitch selection showcased his strategic approach against hitters on both sides of the plate. Against left-handed batter Sung-Mun Song, he predominantly used four-seam fastballs and splitters, finishing with a sweeping pitch. Versus right-handed hitter Rodolfo Durán, Ohtani mixed sinkers and sweepers, supplemented by a four-seam fastball. Nevertheless, he yielded a second run in the fourth inning after falling behind 0-2 to Jackson Merrill, who challenged a called strike before hitting a home run. Ohtani completed six innings, surrendering seven hits for a quality start, but acknowledged a mixture of positive and negative moments in his performance.

The Dodgers entered the seventh inning trailing 3-0 against Padres starter Michael King, struggling offensively until Teoscar Hernández broke through. With the bases loaded and no outs, Hernández connected on a first-pitch slider from reliever Adrian Morejon, launching a grand slam over the left-center field wall to give Los Angeles a 4-3 lead. Hernández, whose homer was his first since May 23, described his approach: “I was looking for the hardest one, the fastball, middle-in. But just reacted to that one in the middle of the plate.” He added that the swing felt like a return to form following a recent injury and was motivated by the desire to contribute to the team.

The Dodgers’ careful management of Ohtani’s workload and Hernández’s timely hitting provided a crucial boost as the team prepares for the midseason break.