The Los Angeles Dodgers revealed today that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani was sidelined from his planned start against the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday because of a cold, but the date for his next pitching outing is confirmed. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Ohtani’s upcoming start will be the opening game of the three-game home series versus the Colorado Rockies next Tuesday, Beijing time.

Dave Roberts said, “You want to give Shohei the best chance to pitch a full five innings in his next outing.” He added that delaying Ohtani’s start is to allow ample recovery time, although he will continue to serve as the designated hitter in the meantime.

Since making his Dodgers debut on June 16, Shohei Ohtani has only completed five innings in one of his 11 starts, holding a record of 1 win and 1 loss with an ERA of 4.18. As a leadoff hitter, he has played in 136 games, posting a slash line of .280/.388/.610, hitting 46 home runs, driving in 87 runs, stealing 17 bases successfully, and scoring 125 runs. He leads the National League in runs scored and slugging percentage.

Meanwhile, Dodgers catcher Will Smith missed today’s game against the Pirates after being hit on the right hand by a ball yesterday. Although X-rays came back negative, the results of a CT scan are still pending. Dave Roberts mentioned that the three-time All-Star is unlikely to participate in the upcoming three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.

So far this season, Will Smith has appeared in 109 games, with a batting line of .296/.405/.497, hitting 17 home runs and driving in 61 runs. During his absence, rookie Dalton Rushing has mainly filled in behind the plate, and the Dodgers have signed veteran Ben Rortvedt from the St. Louis Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate to add depth at the catcher position.