Could there be a chance we see Shohei Ohtani show off his two-way ability come October? Dave Roberts hasn’t ruled it out just yet.
The Los Angeles Dodgers manager spoke to Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times about a possible Hollywood-style appearance for the two-way superstar should the Dodgers advance far enough in the post-season.
“I wouldn’t say no way… I’m not going to close the door 100 per cent,” Roberts said.
However, he made it clear that while it would be the sort of blockbuster moment perfect for L.A. baseball, for now, it’s still a somewhat distant possibility considering the challenges ahead.
Ohtani, 30, hasn’t pitched for the Dodgers at all this season after undergoing surgery to his right elbow last September while with the L.A. Angels. Earlier reports predicted Ohtani would return to pitching in 2025.
Roberts added that the stress of a relief appearance for a pitcher mostly used as a starter could further prevent the team from doing something drastic with their $700 million superstar.
“If I was scripting a movie or writing a book, it would be a no-brainer that he comes out of rehabilitation and throws the last pitch,” Roberts said. “The problem is, in reality, he hasn’t thrown a leverage pitch in over a year. If he were to come out and it does go awry, it’s not worth a potential injury. You just cannot duplicate the stress of that one inning. I just don’t think it’s worth it.”
One of the shining moments of Ohtani’s already storied career was his relief appearance in the World Baseball Classic final against the U.S.A. The then-Angel took the mound in the ninth inning to close the game, eventually ending it by striking out Halos teammate Mike Trout to secure the 3-2 Japan win.
“I would love to see what he did to Mike Trout to close out the Dodger World Series, but he had a ramp-up, building up to that moment,” Roberts said.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman also tip-toed around the topic to Plaschke, saying that there’s still too much baseball to be played to even think about the possibility.
“The subject is nowhere near front of mind for us,” Friedman said. “He’s still going through his rehab progression.”
As it stands, the Dodgers are 87-59 and are five games up in the NL West. Ohtani, meanwhile, feels like a lock for the NL MVP as he nears MLB’s first-ever 50-50 season, dominating with his bat and legs as he focuses on only the offensive side of the ball.
