The Los Angeles Dodgers will send a sizable group of players to Philadelphia for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, and Shohei Ohtani’s name is firmly on that list. He appears poised to secure the NL’s starting designated hitter spot over the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber, though when it comes to taking the mound, a couple of other All-Stars—one from Philadelphia and one from Milwaukee could complicate matters for him.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today pointed out that Ohtani may not end up pitching in the midsummer classic. The reasoning ties back to logistics: if he doesn’t get the nod as the starting pitcher, transitioning into the game out of the bullpen while simultaneously remaining in the lineup as the starting DH presents a real challenge.
Nightengale relayed that the Dodgers have acknowledged this very difficulty keeping Ohtani in the game as a reliever while preserving his DH role is no simple feat. With Christopher Sanchez of the Phillies and Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers both viewed as likely candidates to draw the start for the National League, Ohtani faces an uphill battle to both pitch and hit in the same game, something he’s done routinely during the regular season.
He may ultimately have to decide between the two roles, given that Misiorowski seems to have the inside track for the starting assignment and Sanchez benefits from pitching in his home ballpark. That sets up a fascinating dilemma for manager Dave Roberts, who leads the NL squad he could theoretically name Ohtani as both the starting DH and starting pitcher, but that would be an unconventional move.
There’s also a practical argument for Ohtani sitting out the pitching portion altogether, especially considering the Dodgers have been carefully monitoring his innings and overall workload all year. He’s almost certain to be in the lineup as the DH from the first pitch, and while fans might be let down if he doesn’t also take the rubber, he’ll still be very much part of the All-Star proceedings as a starter.
This particular Ohtani conundrum is worth watching as July 14 draws nearer. He’ll undoubtedly be named to the roster and could very well finish with the highest vote total among all players. Still, despite his two-way brilliance throughout the season, he might end up being used exclusively as a hitter during the All-Star Game.
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