Today I watched as Shohei Ohtani, the day after pitching seven innings, go 0 for five with two strikeouts while grounding right into a double play. The pattern measurement, at this level, has to be massive sufficient for Dave Roberts and the Dodgers’ administration to focus on the elephant within the room with their lead-off batter. He shouldn’t bat when he pitches, and he ought to have a break day after he pitches.
It is also argued that he shouldn’t be the lead-off batter — his common and on-base proportion are decrease than, say, Hyeseong Kim, who is additionally quicker and could be a distraction for an opposing pitcher as a menace to steal. It would additionally give somebody for Shohei to drive in if he dropped down the order a spot or two. If baseball is a numbers train, then the Dodgers want to do the maths.
Peter Maradudin
Burlingame
I’ve seen sufficient of Kyle Tucker to know the Dodgers lineup of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Tucker, Teo Hernández, Max Muncy, Andy Pages and Hyeseong Kim wants to be modified. Kim has higher protection and is a base-stealer. Freeman is not a swap hitter since he can’t hit from the best facet. Also, no lefty within the bullpen is aware of how to throw a screwball?
Ed Villanueva
Chino Hills