Dodgers address Shohei Ohtani’s pitching availability for NLCS

March 20, 2024; Seoul, SOUTH KOREA; Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani reacts after playing against the San Diego Padres during a MLB regular season Seoul Series game at Gocheok Sky Dome. Photo Credit: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters via USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers are one win away from returning to the World Series. With such heavy stakes at play, several fans are wondering if Shohei Ohtani will be given a chance to take the mound.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke to reporters a day after his team’s 12-6 loss to the New York Mets in Game 5 of the NLCS. When asked about Ohtani potentially pitching in Games 6 or 7, the veteran skipper gave a succinct response.

“He is not,” Roberts said. “Thank you for asking.”

Roberts initially said during the press conference that the Dodgers will have “all hands on deck” for Game 6 of the series. But those “hands” apparently don’t include Ohtani’s pitching a ball. Nor do they include Game 4 starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s hands.

Roberts can’t be upset with all the questions about Ohtani’s pitching availability given that Roberts himself didn’t rule out the possibility last month .

Ohtani has been on the mend as a pitcher since undergoing Tommy John surgery last September. The former Cy Young finalist has yet to pitch since an August 23 start from when he was still a member of the Los Angeles Angels.

In August, Ohtani got fans excited when he was seen throwing on a mound for the first time since his surgery.

If the Dodgers get past the Mets to make the World Series, the Ohtani pitching question will more than likely be brought up again.

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