Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani continues to make progress as he works toward his return as a pitcher and reestablishing his capacity as a two-way player following last fall’s elbow surgery. While there was talk earlier in the spring about Ohtani possibly seeing action in the outfield late in the year, no one should foster any daydreams about the potential of the Dodgers using him in any pitching role come October.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts outright ruled out the idea of Ohtani pitching as part of a playoffs push on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez.
“When we have a guy for 10 years, I just don’t see the upside,” Roberts said. “The risk-reward doesn’t make sense.”
Ohtani has progressed to “throwing from 150 feet at 85% intensity” and will soon increase in regularity, to the point where he’s throwing five days a week, according to ESPN. The hope is that Ohtani will begin throwing off a mound sometime in early September, with a chance of facing hitters in either a batting practice or simulated game situation before the postseason opens. At that point, Ohtani will then shut down throwing until he begins the ramp-up process for next spring — and for his return to pitching.
Ohtani, of course, signed a 10-year pact worth $700 million during the winter. Said contract included an historic amount of deferrals that greatly reduce the present value of the contract to well beneath that imposing $700 million figure.
The 30-year-old superstar is in the midst of an incredible offensive season that could make him the first full-time designated hitter to win a Most Valuable Player Award, which would be his third. (Our Dayn Perry examined that possibility, and the spare history of DH and the MVP Award, earlier this summer.) He entered Thursday batting .302/.390/.618 (181 OPS+) with 34 home runs, 81 runs batted in, and 32 stolen bases. A 40-40 season is a distinct possibility.
Ohtani’s contributions have been worth an estimated 5.9 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference’s calculations.
