Earlier this week, Dave Roberts was unsure if Shohei Ohtani would pitch in this year’s All-Star Game.

In the days since, the Dodgers’ reshuffled pitching plans have essentially made the decision for him.

With Ohtani having his originally scheduled outing on Wednesday against the Athletics pushed back a couple days to Friday night against the Padres, the two-way star is now unlikely to take the mound in the Midsummer Classic, even if he is selected to the National League pitching staff as expected.

After Friday’s start against the Padres, Ohtani’s final pitching appearance of the first half will come next Friday against the Diamondbacks, knocking him off schedule to be available to the All-Star Game in Philadelphia that following Tuesday.

“I haven’t formally said it, but if you just do the math, it would be hard to imagine,” said Roberts, who is also the NL manager this year thanks to the Dodgers’ pennant last year. “But I don’t have to make a decision quite yet.”

Already, it was going to be difficult for Ohtani –– who has clinched the NL’s starting designated hitter slot via fan voting –– to make what would have only been his second career pitching appearance in the All-Star Game.

To do so, Roberts confirmed earlier this week, Ohtani likely would have had to start the game, given the logistical challenges that would have gone into trying to warm up in the bullpen while also taking at-bats in the NL’s lineup.

The NL, of course, has more obvious candidates to handle the starting honors, from Cy Young frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski to local Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez. 

Based on their own pitching schedules, however, it still might have been possible for Ohtani (whose 1.58 ERA entering Friday trailed only Misiorowski among pitchers with 70 innings) to warrant the starting pitcher nod.

Now, he has been all but knocked out of consideration, with the Dodgers’ preference to give him a couple extra days of rest as a pitcher this week likely to limit his All-Star Game involvement to DH duties only.