Three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani was scratched from pitching detail for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ road game with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Ohtani was feeling under the weather but was feeling well enough to hit. Ohtani will remain in the lineup as leadoff hitter and designated hitter, while right-hander Emmet Sheehan will replace him on the mound.
Roberts alluded to Ohtani feeling ill the past couple of days, including Tuesday’s affair in which he hit a double and a home run with two RBIs in a 7-9 loss.
Ohtani, 31, is coming off his first win of the season on the mound, a 5-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 27. That outing, also his longest of the season at five innings, saw him strike out nine, walk two and surrender two hits and a run.
The five-time All-Star is batting .279 with 46 home runs and 87 RBIs this year. His ERA sits at 4.18 over 32 1/3 innings.
Sheehan, 25, is 5-2 with a 3.56 ERA this season.
Los Angeles entered Wednesday 2 1/2 games ahead of the San Diego Padres in the NL West.
