The decision is partly a matter of comfort, with Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto accustomed to pitching essentially once a week dating back to their time in Japan. It also factored prominently, the Dodgers believe, into their ability to land phenom Roki Sasaki this winter — like his countrymen, Sasaki is used to pitching on a once-per-week schedule.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' plan to use a six-man rotation this season is on hold until one of the half-dozen, star right-hander Shohei Ohtani, returns to the mound in May, according to the team's president of baseball operations.