Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani opens up about potentially pitching in MLB postseason

Will Shohei Ohtani make a miraculous recovery and pitch for the Dodgers in the playoffs?

The Los Angeles Dodgers remain in the driver’s seat in the race for the NL West division crown. Despite their 11-9 defeat to the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night, the Dodgers still have a three-game lead over the San Diego Padres for the division lead. One of the biggest factors behind their continued dominance over their peers has been the play of $700 million signing Shohei Ohtani, who remains on pace for the first 50-50 season in MLB history.

In his debut season for the Dodgers, Ohtani has proven that the value he provides as a hitter is enough for him to be worth his weight in gold. But what sets Ohtani apart from the other great players in the history of the sport is his ability to be an MVP-caliber player on both the hitting and pitching side of the ball. Regardless, it doesn’t seem as though the 30-year-old Japanese international is going to force anything in his quest to return to the mound following the major elbow injury that he suffered in 2023.

Speaking to reporters following the Dodgers’ loss to the Marlins, Shohei Ohtani expressed much uncertainty as to whether or not he’ll be ready to suit up for the team on the mound this coming postseason. Per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, Ohtani said that he’s “not sure” if he’s physically ready to pitch, although there is a meeting planned to discuss his rehab plans when they return to the friendly confines of home.

Given how much the Dodgers have invested in Ohtani, it doesn’t make sense for them to cut corners and put their $700 million man back out on the mound and risk an injury re-aggravation. While there are certainly pain points for the Dodgers in the starting rotation, it might not be the best idea for them to put Ohtani in any position of risk.

Dodgers’ starting rotation facing major question marks heading into playoffs

It’s hard to feel too sorry for the Dodgers, as they have built for themselves the deepest roster in the MLB. Despite losing plenty of valuable contributors throughout the season due to injuries, they have held strong to their perch atop the NL West. But come postseason time when the difference in quality between teams is negligible and everyone is more subject to the cruelty of variance, the Dodgers will need to have as much quality as possible in their active roster to avoid another early postseason exit.

The idea of a return to the mound for Shohei Ohtani sounds very enticing when taking into account the fact that two of the starters currently in the Dodgers rotation may not be too fit for postseason duty. Bobby Miller has struggled immensely this season; he allowed four earned runs in just two innings of work in their loss to the Marlins, and he now has an 8.52 ERA on the year. Meanwhile, Landon Knack has been okay in filling in a back-end rotation spot, but has the rookie garnered enough trust within the organization to be a starter in the playoffs?

Tyler Glasnow might be in danger of missing the rest of the season, while Clayton Kershaw is also on the mend with no concrete timeline for a return. Perhaps Gavin Stone is on the cusp of returning from his shoulder injury. Whatever the case may be, the Dodgers will have to rely heavily on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, and Walker Buehler moving forward. But will that be enough to net them the 2024 World Series crown?