Dodgers turn to surprising Shohei Ohtani replacement following knee injury
· Yahoo Sports
For 63 of the Dodgers’ first 69 games this season, Shohei Ohtani was their leadoff hitter. The two-time defending National League MVP was occasionally afforded a day of rest because of his pitching schedule.
On June 12, he was given the day off because of an injury.
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Ohtani left the Dodgers’ victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 11 with left knee inflammation. Although manager Dave Roberts did not believe the injury was serious, it was bad enough for Roberts to keep Ohtani out of the lineup for the Dodgers’ series opener against the White Sox.
MORE: Shohei Ohtani leaves game with injury, Dodgers announce initial diagnosis
Alex Call is batting leadoff instead.
Call, the Dodgers’ fourth outfielder, has started only 18 games this season. He batted second once, back on April 20, but has mostly occupied the bottom of the order on the rare occasions he starts.
Call, 31, is slashing .266/.379/.329 in 79 at-bats this season. What he lacks in pop, Call makes up for with the ability to get on base via walks and singles.
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That makes the journeyman outfielder a nominally logical choice to hit first in a lineup with Andy Pages, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker batting second through fifth.
Roberts, however, typically prefers to let his sluggers bat higher.
More to come on this story.