Nationals vs Angels Wednesday MLB injury report, odds: Shohei Ohtani not in lineup for first time this season

It's fairly newsworthy when Los Angeles Angels dual-threat star and former AL MVP Shohei Ohtani isn't in the lineup considering he has played at least 155 games in each of the past two seasons, but after a dominant effort on the mound Tuesday vs. Washington, the Halos will not start Ohtani at designated hitter in today's series finale in Anaheim. That has dropped the Angels from -190 to -170 at Caesars Sportsbook.

In Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Nationals, Ohtani threw seven shutout innings with just one hit allowed and six strikeouts while also going 1-for-4 at the plate. He's reached base in every game this game. The right-handed pitcher set a franchise record with his 10th consecutive start (dating to last season) in which he surrendered two runs or fewer. It broke the previous record held by Nolan Ryan.

Ohtani is now 2-0 on the mound with a 0.47 ERA , 0.95 WHIP and 24 strikeouts in 19 innings. He's down to +900 to win the AL Cy Young Award. He's also batting .300 on the season with three homers, eight RBI and a .979 OPS and is the +200 favorite at Caesars to win a second AL MVP Award.

After Tuesday's game, manger Phil Nevin said Ohtani wouldn't play today (he could still pinch-hit). Mike Trout is expected to DH. If the Angels are ever going to give Ohtani a day off from hitting, it makes sense to do so the day after one of his starts on the mound. The Angels are off on Thursday, effectively giving the busy superstar a two-day breather.

The Nationals might pitch around Trout with Ohtani out of the lineup. Trout has already been walked 10 times this season (T-5th most in MLB). The three-time AL MVP has a hit in eight of his 11 games but has gone back-to-back games without one. He's -250 to get one Wednesday. With two doubles, Trout would become the fourth player in MLB history with at least 300 doubles, 300 home runs and 200 stolen bases by his age-31 season, joining Willie Mays, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez.

Washington has one of the the worst rosters in the majors, but does have quite a promising young pitcher in lefty MacKenzie Gore, who was a big piece acquired last year from the Padres in the Juan Soto trade. Gore takes the mound Wednesday and is 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA. He has never faced the Angels.

L.A. counters with Griffin Canning in his season debut. The right-hander missed the final two months of 2021 season and all of 2022 on the IL with a low back stress reaction. He was 5-4 with a 5.60 ERA in 14 appearances (13 starts) two years ago. He has never faced Washington.

Nationals batters have totaled just five homers this season, tied with Cleveland for the fewest in the majors – and Washington has already played four games in the thin air of Denver. 

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