For the primary time in over a yr, Shohei Ohtani is out of the leadoff spot.
The defending NL MVP will bat within the two-hole for the Dodgers in Sunday’s sport in opposition to the Brewers. It’s the primary sport that Ohtani has performed with out hitting leadoff since June 16, 2024.
Mookie Betts — held out of the beginning lineup on Saturday to reset — took Ohtani’s spot atop the batting order. Earlier this season, when Ohtani missed two video games whereas on the paternity listing, Tommy Edman crammed in because the leadoff hitter.
Betts is hitting simply .241 with a .688 OPS amid a season-long stoop. On Saturday, Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated that he anticipated Betts would keep within the two-hole upon returning to the lineup, although he wasn’t certain when that may be.
“If I felt a change, a distinct look within the lineup would assist efficiency, I might do it,” Roberts stated. “I might be all in.”
Ohtani went 2-for-5 along with his thirty third dwelling run of the season within the Dodgers’ loss on Saturday evening. It marked simply his second multi-hit sport in his final 16 contests. Since June 1, he’s hitting .240 with an .868 OPS.
Nonetheless, due to Ohtani, the Dodgers have loved super success out of the leadoff spot: Their leadoff hitters have mixed for a .991 OPS this season, the best within the Majors by a major margin.
Final season, Ohtani hit .314 with a .989 OPS in 69 video games out of the two-hole. Betts was the leadoff hitter in that June 16, 2024, sport, Ohtani’s earlier time batting second.
