Ohtani in Angels’ lineup as DH while nursing blister on finger against Dodgers #Ohtani #Angels #lineup #nursing #blister #finger #Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — All-Star Shohei Ohtani is in the lineup as the designated hitter and is set to bat leadoff for the Los Angeles Angels in their Freeway Series opener against the Dodgers.

The two-way superstar is nursing a blister on the middle finger of his right hand. He was held hitless Wednesday to close out a three-game sweep by the San Diego Padres. Ohtani left Tuesday’s start as a pitcher because of the blister. He also has a cracked fingernail.

“He’s fine. He hasn’t said anything about it. It doesn’t affect him to hit,” manager Phil Nevin said before Friday night’s game at Dodger Stadium. “I’m really trying to get him as many pitches as I can.”

Los Angeles Dodgers' Max Muncy, right, is congratulated by Freddie Freeman after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday, July 6, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman homered and Julio Urias pitched six innings to help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray throws to the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Josiah Gray became the early face of the Washington Nationals’ rebuild when he was part of the return in the trade of Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Los Angeles Dodgers' J.D. Martinez heads to first after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

J.D. Martinez and David Peralta homered back-to-back in the fifth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied from a four-run deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4.

CORRECTS THAT SUWINSKI SCORED ON A SINGLE BY JARED TRIOLO, INSTEAD OF A DOUBLE BY JOSH PALACIOS - Pittsburgh Pirates' Jack Suwinski, right, is congratulated by Rodolfo Castro after scoring on a single by Jared Triolo during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Pinch-hitter Josh Palacios came through with a tiebreaking two-run double in a three-run ninth inning that rallied the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 9-7 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers to snap a three-game skid.

Ohtani won’t pitch in next week’s All-Star game in Seattle, but if he’s healthy enough, he will remain the starting DH for the American League.

The Angels are without fellow All-Star slugger Mike Trout, who had surgery Wednesday for a broken left wrist after fouling off a pitch. He’s likely to be out several weeks.

Trout usually bats behind Ohtani in the lineup.

“Obviously with Mike down, it’s a little bit different,” Nevin said. “We’ve seen him walk a lot lately. If that’s going to happen, you might as well have him on base to get it going, right?”