Dodgers fans are losing their patience after another Shohei Ohtani hit-by-pitch

No one said it was easy being the best player in baseball. Over the weekend, it was reported that Shohei Ohtani is the fifth-richest athlete in the world, mostly due to endorsement deals off the field. He's been picking up bumps and bruises on the diamond along the way, though, and Dodgers fans are starting to notice.

Ohtani was hit with another pitch on Tuesday night against the Rockies — the fifth such occurrence this season, good for 17th in all of MLB — which left LA fans in disbelief. It didn't help that Ohtani took one to the hands/wrist area, which is always delicate for hitters because they can't wear much padding.

Thankfully, in this case, Ohtani was plunked on part of his hand with some padding. The two-way star is the Dodgers most prized asset, and they can ill-afford to lose Ohtani should Los Angeles hope to three-peat as World Series champions.

Dodgers fans want Shohei Ohtani to take matters into his own hands

While the mild-mannered Ohtani is unlikely to charge the mound anytime soon, that hasn't stopped some Dodgers fans from suggesting as much. Again, Ohtani isn't hit all that many more times than your average superstar. With five HBPs on the season, Ohtani is ranked behind the likes of Pete Crow-Armstrong, Willson Contreras, CJ Abrams, Yandy Diaz, Randy Arozarena, JJ Wetherholt, and so on. What Ohtani is forced to do that those players aren't is pitch every week.

Thankfully, per Dave Roberts, Ohtani is just fine and expected to pitch on Wednesday. The ball he was hit by did clip his pinky finger, so that's something to watch moving forward.

How the Dodgers are protecting Shohei Ohtani

If any pitcher were to intentionally go after Ohtani, you can bet the entire Dodgers dugout would have his back. So, let's get that out of the way quickly. Alongside the basic team camaraderie, the Dodgers have also taken a couple further steps to help protect their prized product, including giving him regularly-scheduled time off at the plate.

Prior to last week against San Diego, Ohtani didn't hit for three straight starts. Roberts also gave Ohtani some time off while he was slumping, and the Dodgers typically keep a larger rotation (six men at best), though injuries have at times limited their ability to do so in 2026.

That rotation gets a whole lot deeper when Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell are healthy, and both should hopefully return at some point this season. Nonetheless, the Dodgers keeping a six-man rotation essentially at all times gives Ohtani an extra day of rest, and allows him to make such an immense impact on the mound and at the plate.

Sure, Shohei is susceptible to HBPs at the plate, just like any hitter. Thankfully, the Dodgers do their part to protect their greatest asset, and they do so without starting a fight.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow