Los Angeles Dodgers manager adds fuel to Shohei Ohtani pitching return rumors for MLB playoffs

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts just gave fans hope that Shohei Ohtani could actually join the team’s pitching staff for the 2024 MLB playoffs.

Entering the MLB games today , the Dodgers are just one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the best record in baseball. It is a position they aimed to be in when they threw around an absurd amount of money in the offseason to several free agents. But their spot near the top of the MLB standings is nonetheless impressive because they got there without one of their best pitchers.

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When LA gave Shohei Ohtani a record-shattering $700 million contract in the winter, they did so because he is much more than a talented hitter. In five seasons as a pitcher in the big leagues, the Japanese superstar owns a 38-19 record and a 3.01 ERA for his career. However, he has not pitched in 2024 following recovering from Tommy John surgery.

He has made up for his lack of pitching by putting up a historic offensive season as the team’s designated hitter. The expectation always was that he would not get back to pitching until 2025. However, that may no longer be the case.

• Shohei Ohtani stats (Pitching): 38-19 Record, 3.01 ERA. 1.082 WHIP, 608 SO, 173 BB, 481.2 IP

Shohei Ohtani ‘has eye’ on pitching return for Dodgers in October?

“I just think like anything. You should always leave some margin, a crack in the door for any possibility,” Dave Roberts said on MLB Network Radio Friday. “If things line up and there’s a need and the games and his body is telling us it makes sense in that situation, great. And it would be storybook. Shohei’s on board with continuing his rehab process. But I wouldn’t put it past him to have an eye on that. And we’ll just see how it plays out.”

Ohtani started throwing off a mount late last month. Nearly a year after surgery in September of 2023. It was the second time he had the procedure after also going under the knife in 2018.

The Dodgers have dealt with injuries to their pitching staff all season long and there certainly could be a need for him to take the mount in a limited capacity during some big games in October.

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