Major League Baseball (MLB) superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers may be limited to hitting duties for the rest of the season as his pitching schedule continues to be postponed.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed on September 3 that completely halting Ohtani’s pitching activities is now being considered as a viable option. Roberts made this statement prior to the team’s home game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Since joining the Dodgers after the 2023 season, Ohtani has yet to complete a full season as a two-way player.
Following elbow surgery in 2023, Ohtani was limited to designated hitter duties in 2024. Last year, he gradually worked his way back into the starting rotation midseason.
This year, Ohtani aimed to return to full-time two-way play. As a pitcher, he has been impressive, posting an 8-2 record with a 1.79 earned run average (ERA) over 14 starts, allowing just 21 runs (17 earned) in 85⅔ innings.
However, Ohtani has been restricted to designated hitter duties recently due to left knee discomfort that flared up late in the first half. He was slated to start as an opener against the Detroit Tigers on Monday, but the outing was scrapped when he wasn’t feeling 100 percent.
Ohtani is currently not throwing at all, skipping even catch play and bullpen sessions. With only a month left in the regular season and playoffs looming, doubts are growing about Ohtani’s return to the mound this year.
Shohei has a significant impact as both a hitter and a pitcher, Roberts noted. Further noting that if he’s not at full strength, it could affect his hitting performance as well.
The decision to shut down Ohtani’s pitching for the season will ultimately be left to the player himself.
Even if Shohei could give us just one inning, it would be a huge boost for our roster flexibility, Roberts explained. Further stating that whatever it decides will be Shohei’s choice. If he believes he can pitch, it’ll have to respect that.