Pirates Paul Skenes Won't Face Shohei Ohtani in Pitching Battle
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The Pittsburgh Pirates have done what many fans and analysts likely thought impossible, nabbing a series win against reigning World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. One face will be curiously missing for the end of the series, though, or at least from the pitcher's mound: Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani was originally scheduled to pitch during the teams' second matchup, but was scratched at the last minute and instead put in the lineup at designated hitter. In lieu of Ohtani, Emmet Sheehan pitched for Los Angeles. While some were hoping this meant Ohtani would pitch against Pirates phenom and 2024 Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes, who is slated to start in the series finale, that appears to not be the case (though Skenes will still face Ohtani from the batter's box).
Prior to the game, LA Times insider Jack Harris shared on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled Ohtani from pitching because he had been feeling "under the weather." Ohtani's next pitching start is now slated for the Dodgers' next series, against the Baltimore Orioles.
Dave Roberts said Shohei Ohtani has been “under the weather” the last few days, so they are pushing his start to sometime this weekend:
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) September 3, 2025
“The tax of pitching in a game [today], it wasn’t worth it.” https://t.co/ZuKlSHdVX9
Sheehan, a second-year right-hander, pitched for 4.2 innings and gave up two home runs: one each to Pirates right fielder Bryan Reynolds and designated hitter Andrew McCutchen. Sheehan was also involved in a brief controversy, seemingly taking the ball from Pirates rookie third infielder Cam Devanney's first MLB hit. The two cleared things up after the game, however, and Devanney said he received the correct ball to commemorate the occasion.
While the matchup ended in a victory, mostly thanks to rookie pitching prowess from the Buccos though it didn't come without some run support, fans no doubt would have enjoyed watching the 2024 NL MVP do his thing on the pitcher's mound. Ohtani did not pitch at all in 2024, and the last time he pitched against Pittsburgh was in 2023 while with the Dodgers' crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Angels. During that game, he allowed five runs, four of them homers.
Paul Skenes and the Pirates take on the Dodgers from PNC park for one final game as they aim to go for a series sweep of the 2024 World Series champs.
Delilah Bourque is a writer and copyeditor based out of Pittsburgh, PA. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2021. After a few years in corporate marketing, she joined On SI as a full-time copyeditor and contributor to the New York Yankees On SI, as well as occasional contributions across the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers on SI.