The Dodgers are getting pretty good at this whole “carry a no-hitter into the later innings and still lose” thing.
Shohei Ohtani exited after five innings Tuesday night after not allowing a hit to the Phillies only to see the first reliever surrender a four-run lead in a 9-6 home loss.
This tough setback comes not long after the Yoshinobu Yamamoto carried a no-hitter through 8 2/3 innings against the Orioles only for Baltimore to rally to win the game.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained that the team is sticking to its progression for Ohtani in his return from Tommy John surgery.
“Yeah, I would have loved to had him go out there, but the conversation was if he’s efficient, he can go to the sixth inning, that’s a different conversation,” Roberts said. “But it was a hard five innings and that’s just the way it goes, and guys have to do their jobs.”
The Dodgers are trying to ensure they have a healthy Ohtani for the playoffs — potentially against the Mets — and they are being deliberate with their process for the likely NL MVP.
Tuesday marked his 13th start but just the second in which he’s completed five innings.
The Dodgers have yet to extend him beyond 87 pitches, but Ohtani only had tossed 68 on Tuesday while striking out five batters and walking one to protect a 4-0 lead.
SportsNet LA reporter Kirsten Watson reported during the bottom of the fifth that Roberts approached the two-way phenom to see how he felt with a potential historic night on the horizon.
“(Roberts) said, ‘How do you feel? Do you want to get back out there?’” Watson said. “And it was funny because Shohei was like, ‘No, it’s up to you.’ And he goes, ‘OK, but do you feel good?’ He said, ‘I do.”
Dodgers star first baseman Freddie Freeman even ribbed his manager about the move, and the cameras captured him laughing while the two conversed.
“Freddie was teasing like him like, ‘Oh, I know you look stressed out over there with that decision,’” Watson reported, “but, ultimately, getting Shohei through five was the most important thing.”
Pulling Ohtani immediately backfired with Justin Wrobleski allowing a single to the second batter he faced and yielding five runs in what would be a six-run frame for the Phillies.
While the Dodgers rallied for two in the eighth to tie the game, the Phillies punched back with three in in the ninth to grab their second straight against the NL West leaders.
Roberts indicated he had no regrets about how he handled the situation.
“He wasn’t going to go back out,” Robert saids. “We’ve been very steadfast in every situation as far as inning for his usage, from one inning to two innings to three to four to five. We haven’t deviated from that. So, I was trying to get his pulse on for going forward, where he’s at, continue to go to the sixth inning. And he says, ‘Doing OK,’ and so that was good, but I’m not going to have a plan for five innings and then he pitches well and say, ‘Hey, now you’re going to go six innings.’
“He’s too important and if something does happen, then that’s on me for changing that and we haven’t done that, so I’m not going to do that right now.”
Ohtani didn’t express frustration with the call after lowering his ERA to 3.29 and hitting his 50th homer.
“As a player, I want to pitch as long as possible but I also understand and respect the decision the front office and the manager makes,” Ohtani said through a translator.
“I was asked how my body was feeling (in the fifth) and so I said I felt good, my stuff was good. So, it’s ultimately up to the manager to make the decision.”
The Dodgers (84-67) lead the Padres by two games in the NL West, but their hope for a first-round bye seems all but over since they now trail the Phillies by 6 1/2 games for the No. 2 seed.
Los Angeles will factor heavily into both playoff races since it has remaining series against contenders in the Giants, Diamondbacks and Mariners.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
