The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player. It's why they gave him a $700 million deal, $680 million of which will likely be paid out after he retires from baseball. He's just that good, and he is great for the Dodgers overseas brand. Since adding Ohtani, the Dodgers have signed both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. Their running list of Japanese superstars won't end anytime soon. However, they need to be careful with Ohtani the player as to ensure he doesn't become a depreciating asset.
Ohtani has made three starts since his return to the mound in June. In those three starts, Ohtani has performed admirably, with a 2.25 ERA in just four innings pitched. The Dodgers are taking it slow with Ohtani in games he pitches, but there's an argument to be made that they are doing more harm than good by asking him to pitch in relatively-meaningless games during the summer months. If Ohtani is to pitch for Los Angeles, Dave Roberts would be better-suited saving him for later in the season.
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The Dodgers took an unnecessary risk with Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani is not injured, but there are some signs he's starting to show fatigue. In June alone, he's seen a substantial decrease in his numbers at the plate. Were Ohtani, say, any other player on earth, these statistics wouldn't be concering. He is simply regressing to your typical above-average MLB player at the dish. However, given this is Ohtani we're talking about, his .265/.372/.559 is noteworthy, especially in the batting average department. June marked the lowest batting average Ohtani has registered in a month all season. He's also been asked to do more since he made his first pitching appearance back in the middle of said month.
Should the Dodgers be concerned about Shohei Ohtani's subtle decline?
If I'm writing about it, you can guarantee the Dodgers are aware of Ohtani's slight dip in production. His OPS, again, remains well above league average. Heck, even in a bad month Shohei is an All-Star caliber player. However, seeing such a talented player's numbers decline as the season takes shape isn't encouraging. There's a direct correlation to Ohtani's return to pitching, and a decline in his statistics. I am not making that up.
The easy solution is to give Ohtani more rest than he's currently receiving. It takes pitchers a week to recover from starts, especially those who throw at a high velocity as Ohtani does. Most pitchers don't hit, and aren't asked to be a member of an everyday lineup. Ohtani is asked to do more than any MLB player, and it's why he is the highest-paid player in baseball.
It's also why the Dodgers need to tread lightly. It's only July, and Los Angeles has a comfortable NL West advantage. What's the point of pushing Ohtani beyond his means?