Amid Shohei Ohtani’s historic first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he’s also continued to rehab from a second elbow surgery he underwent near the end of 2023.
Ohtani is on track to be ready as both a pitcher for the start of the 2025 season, but as he continues his rehab process, that has potentially opened the door for him to get on the mound in October.
While Ohtani has yet to face hitters, he has been throwing bullpen sessions, which is the final step before getting to simulated games. Based on a potential timeline, that makes it a possibility he can return for the postseason.
The Dodgers have not planned out what Ohtani’s return this season could look like, but they plan to discuss it in the coming days, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic:
Ohtani said Tuesday he has not yet discussed a potential pitching plan for October with the Dodgers’ staff, though they are scheduled to meet when the team returns to Los Angeles.
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes previously shut down the idea of Ohtani returning this season, saying there’s “no world” where that happens. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also denied there was a possibility of it happening.
That was until recently, when Roberts started to crack the door open on Ohtani’s return.
Acknowledging it’s still a long-shot, Roberts added it would be a dream scenario, but noted the risks that come with it, including ineffectiveness after not pitching all year and the potential for another injury due to the increased adrenaline of his first appearances coming in the postseason.
However, the Dodgers find themselves short on quality pitching options, and prior to his injury, Ohtani was one of MLB’s best pitchers. If he returns, Ohtani would be limited to a bullpen role as he would not have enough time to fully build up and stretch out his arm.
Ohtani owns a career 3.01 ERA in 481.2 innings with a 3.31 FIP, 1.08 WHIP, 31.2% strikeout rate and a 8.9% walk rate.
His last appearance on the mound came on Aug. 23, 2023 when he pitched just 1.1 innings, giving up no runs on no hits with two strikeouts to one walk before leaving with his elbow injury.
Should Shohei Ohtani pitch in the playoffs?
If all goes to plan with Ohtani’s rehab, there’s no guarantee he would be effective off the mound. Without the possibility of some late-season rehab games or appearances at the end of the regular season, Ohtani would likely deal with some rust.
There is also the stress of pitching in the postseason and the adrenaline that comes with it that adds to the injury risk after not pitching all season.
The potential upside with no guarantee of any effectiveness is not worth the risk of another injury, which could also potentially end his pitching career if it’s a third elbow injury.
For an organization that has struggled to keep pitchers healthy all year, the Dodgers are best off waiting for Ohtani to return in 2025, where he remains on track to be ready for Spring Training.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
