Ohtani Focuses on Hitting, Not Pitching | MLB News

0:00On September 8th, Shohei Ota Nhi is back in the Dodger's lineup, but he won't be pitching for the rest of the season. He's dealing with some soreness in his left knee and right biceps, so the team is having him focus solely on hitting for now. He returned Monday night as the designated hitter and went zero for three with two strikeouts and a walk in a win against the Cincinnati Reds. Ota Nhi hasn't pitched since early July and hasn't thrown a bullpen session in weeks. He expressed disappointment about not being able to pitch, but he sees it as a learning experience for next season. The Dodgers are hoping this break from pitching will help him get back to his usual performance at the plate. Despite the focus on hitting, Ota Nhi's number since the All-Star break have been a bit down compared to his usual standards. He's hitting 24-6 with 8 homers and 22 RBIs in 42 games during that stretch. The manager, Dave Roberts, mentioned that while Ota Nhi loves being a two-way player, this decision is about what's best for him and the team right.

1:02Now, during Ota Nhi's four-day break from the lineup, the Dodgers actually won all four games they played, even sweeping a series against the Washington. Nationals. This shows the team can still perform well, but they're clearly hoping Ota Nhi can find his rhythm at the plate without the added strain of pitching. This hasn't decided if Ota Nhi will stay in the lead-off spot permanently, but he believes Ota Nhi is still the team's best hitter and deserves the opportunity. For now, the priority is getting him healthy and performing at his peak as a hitter. That's the story for today, MLB News Today, driven by AI.