Shohei Ohtani will not pitch in the All-Star Game

Right now, only two players are guaranteed to play in the All-Star Game: Ernie Clement and Shohei Ohtani.

Both finished at the top of the fan vote in their respective leagues.

We know that the Dodgers' DH will be his team's designated hitter. But the question is whether he'll also pitch for the National League.

It's important to note that the pitching roster is not subject to fan voting. MLB decides which pitchers are invited, and the manager decides who starts.

And since the Dodgers made it to the World Series in 2025, Dave Roberts is managing the National League in the All-Star Game.

He'll therefore be able to manage his pitcher as he sees fit, for the good of his team.

What Roberts has said in recent days is that nothing has been decided in this regard. But if he were to pitch, it would be as the game's starter.

After all, warming up during the game while serving as the designated hitter isn't ideal for anyone. So it'll be starting pitcher or nothing.

That said, because his most recent start was pushed back, he'll be called upon to pitch the weekend before the All-Star Game. He won't be available for the game in Philly, then.

Too bad for the fans attending the All-Star Game.

In any case, with all the great pitchers in the National League this year, it's not as if there's a shortage of options.

More on that in due time. But the game is still happening in two weeks (July 14), so it's time to start thinking about it for real.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.